Jakarta — In the vibrant celebration of Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day, the nation stands at the crossroads of history and the future. On television screens, newspaper pages, and social media conversations, stories unfold of leaders making calls, ministries at work, and issues testing the unity of the nation. The mass media has become the grand stage where policies, figures, and events appear before the people. Meanwhile, social media is an open arena where netizens’ voices echo freely—sometimes as praise, other times as criticism, often laced with cultural pop symbols.
Using big data analytics tools, PT Binokular Media Utama (“Binokular”) traced the flow of information from mass media and social media conversations. Between July 10 and August 15, 2025, this research mapped news highlights and online buzz, summarizing them into eight dominant issues, eight most influential voices, and ten ministries and entities that captured the most attention.
Both mainstream media and social media placed the issue of Tom Lembong’s Abolition and Hasto Kristiyanto’s Amnesty at the top of public attention. Ranking second in mainstream media with 14,669 news articles, this issue exploded on social media with 365,058 discussions and 247,918,150 engagements, making it the number one trending topic online.
Public attention then turned to the Regent’s Conflict with Citizens Over PBB-P2 Property Tax. While minimally covered by the press (9,310 articles, ranked 10th most popular), it dominated online with 378,220 discussions and 360,501,065 engagements, peaking on August 13, 2025, when mass protests in Pati led to an agreement with the local parliament to initiate the regent’s impeachment process.
The One Piece Flag phenomenon was also unique. Ranking 7th in mainstream media with 9,926 articles, it was widely discussed on social media with 379,868 conversations and 19,010,833 engagements. While treated as entertainment in the press, social media placed it as a symbol of resistance against injustice, ranking 3rd most popular on social platforms.
Another spotlight was PPATK Freezing Dormant Accounts. Covered in 11,101 articles (ranked 6th in media), online it sparked 154,591 conversations and 121,664,414 engagements, ranking 3rd in the digital space. The media framed it as an anti-money laundering, fraud, and terrorism financing policy, while social media responses expressed concerns about potential misuse and demands for proper mechanisms.
The GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2025 was another highlight, with 12,932 media articles (ranked 4th in press coverage) and 62,212 social discussions generating 21,798,144 engagements (ranked 6th online). The press emphasized visitor numbers, EV innovation, and global brand participation, while netizens focused on products and electric vehicle trends.
Ridho Marpaung, Vice President of Binokular Big Data Analytics, emphasized these five issues illustrate key public concerns during the monitoring period: Tom Lembong’s Abolition, PBB-P2 Property Tax conflict, One Piece Flag, Dormant Account Freeze, and GIIAS 2025.
“These issues reflect social phenomena—covering law enforcement, justice, and economic growth factors. The press frames state policy, while social media fosters skepticism and criticism. Without transparent explanations, negative opinions online can dominate,” said Ridho.
He added that such issues are not just the government’s responsibility, but everyone’s. For example, the One Piece Flag phenomenon should be seen as critical input on law, justice, and welfare.
Based on monitoring, RI-1 (President Prabowo) and RI-2 (Vice President Gibran) consistently served as key sources, alongside former President Jokowi, who still voiced opinions on political and legal issues.
“Let all parties, under the guidance of the Prabowo–Gibran administration, continue to move forward together in truth, in justice, and in the vision enshrined in the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) and its amendments, as well as the principles laid out in Pancasila,” he said.
Beyond negative issues or those amplifying negative sentiment on social media, Ridho noted there were also matters appreciated by the public, the most prominent during this period being the GIIAS 2025 event.
“We hope the creative industries—including events—the automotive industry and other sectors will continue to grow to spur domestic economic expansion. This will be positive if treated as an opportunity by both the public and the government. A similar pattern appears on social media, where popular entities include not only state actors (state‑owned enterprises/BUMN) but also private companies. This is noteworthy, showing their presence draws significant attention. These findings can serve as constructive input so that SOEs and the private sector can have an even greater impact and contribute more to society,” Ridho concluded.
Certain stories dominated the media but not social platforms—for instance, President Prabowo’s July 30 meeting with Police Chief Listyo Sigit and Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman on rice quality control. Another example: the Military Honor Ceremony on August 10 in Bandung Barat, highlighting Prabowo appointing the Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces, elite commanders, and inaugurating six new military commands.
“These major events carried weight in the press but had less traction online compared to lighter issues like Aura Farming and GIIAS,” explained Nicko Mardiansyah, Manager of News Big Data Analytics at Binokular.
From 48 ministries, the Top 10 most reported were:
Nicko emphasized that issues like Abolition of Tom Lembong were framed differently across media: political reconciliation in the press, politicization and legal debates online.
Similarly, the One Piece Flag carried split sentiment: symbolic protest vs overregulation.
“This shows pop culture can transform into political discourse. Social media breathes life into symbols, while mass media legitimizes them through official coverage,” Nicko said.
Unlike mass media, businesses led online conversations:
Danu Setio Wihananto, Binokular Social Media Big Data Analytics Manager, added:
“The Abolition issue remained consistent online, while the viral Pacu Jalur (Aura Farming) trend spread globally—even reaching K-pop idols like EXO. Yet it triggered local debates about athlete incentives.”
On the Dormant Account Blockade, he noted:
“Mass media emphasized financial security, but online narratives focused on individual rights.”
Contact:
Nicko: +62898 8240 722
Ridho: +62818 08130 257
PT Binokular Media Utama
Jl. H. Nudin No. 60, Lebak Bulus, Cilandak, South Jakarta 12440
Phone: (021) 227 68255 | WhatsApp: 0812 2511 8856
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