Jakarta — The Work from Home (WFH) policy for Indonesian civil servants (ASN) every Friday has triggered the strongest wave of criticism since the implementation of the 8 (Eight) Points of Work Culture Transformation and Energy Efficiency. However, beyond the uproar on social media, the data shows that the public has not turned against the policy. In fact, 69 percent of netizens are still in an observation phase, gathering information, asking questions, and weighing its impact.

With total engagement exceeding 7.3 million interactions during 31 March–12 April 2026, this discourse is not merely digital noise, but a reflection that the public is still waiting for proof. Using big data analytics tools, PT Binokular Media Utama (“Binokular”) conducted research on social media conversations regarding public attention, argument distribution, and discussions related to the implementation of the 8 Points of Work Culture Transformation and Energy Efficiency.

The Public Is Still in the Observation Phase

During the period from 31 March to 12 April 2026, the Socindex social media listening dashboard captured 137,672 netizen conversations across various platforms (X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok), with total engagement reaching 7,360,469.

Based on the same data, public sentiment toward this policy was dominated by a neutral stance at 69 percent, while negative sentiment stood at 17 percent and positive sentiment at 14 percent. In terms of platform distribution, most netizens discussed the policy on TikTok and Instagram, with comments on posts being the most common form of conversation.

Interestingly, although the discussion was highly massive, most netizens were still in the stage of seeking information, asking questions, and making observational statements. However, behind this dominance of neutral sentiment, the issue of Friday Work from Home (WFH) for civil servants emerged as the most controversial topic and the one attracting the greatest public attention.

“Conversations surrounding the work culture transformation and energy-efficiency policy surged sharply on 1 April 2026, one day after the government’s official announcement on 31 March. This spike was a direct reaction from netizens to various parts of the policy, especially those related to energy savings. Earlier, at the end of March, social media had already been filled with public concern over the possibility of fuel price increases following tensions in the Middle East,” said Binokular’s Social Media Data Analytics (Socindex) Manager, Danu Setio Wihananto.

That concern, Danu continued, had briefly triggered panic buying behavior in several regions. However, after the government officially announced that fuel prices would not be raised in April 2026, the public felt relieved. “The decision to keep fuel prices unchanged became one of the points most appreciated by netizens, although a small portion still voiced concerns about possible adjustments to non-subsidized fuel prices in the future,” Danu added.

WFH for Civil Servants and the MBG Program Emerged as the Most Prominent Issues

In another section, Danu explained that during the monitoring period, the two most dominant issues discussed by netizens were the Friday WFH policy for civil servants and the optimization of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.

“WFH for civil servants drew the greatest attention. The policy, which was intended to save energy by reducing mobility and fuel consumption in office environments, drew sharp pro and con reactions. Netizens who opposed it criticized the policy as something that could be used by civil servants as a long weekend for leisure, rather than for working productively from home. A deeper concern was the decline in the quality of public services, considering that many people still need administrative and technical services on Fridays,” said Danu.

On the other hand, netizens who supported the policy viewed WFH as a concrete step toward energy savings. By reducing official travel and building operations, electricity and fuel consumption could be lowered. They argued that as long as digital public services run properly and civil servants remain productive, WFH could actually become a more flexible and environmentally friendly model of future work. Even so, these positive voices were still outnumbered by the more dominant negative and neutral sentiment.

Another issue that was no less heated was the reduction of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program from six days to five days per week. Netizens believed that the very large MBG budget should be made more efficient, especially given a number of incidents and controversies that had occurred in the field. Reducing the number of distribution days was seen as insufficient to produce meaningful efficiency gains.

Negative sentiment toward this policy was more dominant than positive sentiment. Many netizens questioned why there was no thorough evaluation of the distribution mechanism and the menu, instead of simply reducing the frequency.

Netizens Appreciated the Government’s Decision to Hold Fuel Prices Steady

Unlike the controversial WFH issue, the government’s decision not to raise fuel prices in April 2026 received broad appreciation. Binokular’s News Data Analytics (Newstensity) Manager, Nicko Mardiansyah, said that before the announcement, social media had been stirred by news that fuel prices would be adjusted on 1 April.

“This issue caused panic and long queues at a number of gas stations. However, after the government officially announced that certain subsidized and non-subsidized fuel prices would be kept unchanged, netizens expressed relief and gratitude in large numbers,” said Nicko.

Positive sentiment toward this policy was recorded as one of the highest during the monitoring period, even though overall positive sentiment accounted for only 14 percent. Some netizens still felt uneasy, especially about the possibility of non-subsidized fuel price increases in the following weeks. Even so, the government’s move to hold prices steady was seen as a quick response that calmed the public.

Plastic and Aviation Fuel Prices Rise

In addition to the three main issues above, netizens also highlighted the indirect economic effects of the energy-efficiency policy. Two derivative issues that emerged were rising plastic prices and rising aviation fuel prices, which affected airline ticket prices. The increase in plastic prices was felt directly by MSMEs, most of which use plastic as packaging for food and beverages. Disruptions in imports of naphtha raw materials due to the global crisis were cited as the main cause, and netizens from MSME circles objected because their operating costs had also increased.

Meanwhile, rising aviation fuel prices forced the government to adjust airline ticket prices in the range of 9 to 13 percent. Negative sentiment also emerged, especially from netizens who frequently use air transportation. However, the government did not stay silent. Various mitigation measures were prepared, including VAT incentives borne by the government (DTP), fuel surcharge adjustments, and exemptions from import duties on aircraft spare parts. These measures succeeded in easing part of the negative sentiment and even generated appreciation from netizens who understood the government’s efforts to maintain stability in the aviation sector.

Conclusion: A Dispersed Communication Pattern

Binokular Big Data Analytics Vice President of Operations Ridho Marpaung said that the Social Network Analysis (SNA) results showed a conversation pattern fragmented into several large clusters, without any single actor truly dominating.

“The main clusters were formed around accounts such as @Prabowo, @Hasyimmah, @pandji, @Gerindra, and several mainstream news media accounts. This structure shows that the public receives information from various sources with different framings, then expands the conversation’s reach into other clusters,” said Ridho.

Interestingly, Ridho added, anonymous accounts such as @lambesahamjja, @99Propaganda, and @RagilSemar had a “star” network pattern with many direct interactions from other users. This proves that the shaping of public opinion does not depend solely on mainstream media, but is also influenced by high-engagement accounts. Meanwhile, accounts such as @Pns_Ababil, @Catchmeupco, @Wolf_Of_Ihsg, and @Yanuarnugroho formed sub-clusters with limited reach, showing that although the issue spread widely, not all conversations succeeded in entering the mainstream and triggering more intense discussion.

CONCLUSION

Based on the data above, it can be concluded that:

1. The public is still in the process of understanding the 8 Policies of National Work Culture Transformation and Energy Efficiency, including the follow-up policies introduced by the government. The dominance of neutral sentiment at 69 percent indicates that netizens have not yet fully formed a final opinion; they are still seeking information, asking questions, and conducting observation and evaluation of government policies. However, the potential for negative sentiment to widen remains, especially if controversial issues such as WFH for civil servants are not communicated well and are not reflected in actual compliance practices, both at the central and regional levels. It is important to note that negative sentiment stands at 17 percent and positive sentiment at 14 percent.
2. Conversations related to the implementation of the 8 Policies of National Work Culture Transformation and Energy Efficiency on social media reached 137,672 discussions, with the spike occurring after the 31 March 2026 announcement and being dominated by TikTok and Instagram in the form of comments.
3. WFH for civil servants became the most dominant and controversial issue, followed by fuel prices (with the highest engagement) and the MBG program, showing the public’s focus on the direct impact of policy.
4. Derivative issues such as rising plastic prices and aviation fuel/airfare prices indicate that the policy is being associated by the public with broader economic impacts.
5. The issue of fuel prices, although appreciated, still requires monitoring because public concern over possible future increases has not fully disappeared.
6. Meanwhile, the MBG program needs to be communicated more transparently regarding the reasons for and calculations behind the efficiency measures, given that many netizens believe that cutting it to five days is still insufficient. In addition, reports about the procurement of electric motorcycles by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) also raised major questions among netizens regarding efficiency.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Commenting on the various findings in this research, the Binokular team recommends:

1. The government needs to focus its communication on the issues currently generating the highest conversation volume, namely WFH for civil servants, fuel availability and prices (subsidized and non-subsidized), the MBG program, and rising prices such as plastic prices and aviation fuel prices that have led to higher airline ticket fares.
2. Policy messages should be simplified, show empathy and sympathy, and emphasize direct impacts on people from all walks of life, because the majority of the public is still in the stage of understanding and adapting to the policies being delivered by the government.
3. The government needs to strengthen monitoring and rapid response on social media, especially on TikTok and Instagram, which are widely accessed by people aged 16–45, in order to anticipate misinformation and respond to negative narratives that may develop. The presence of anonymous accounts with high influence also needs serious attention, because they can shape public opinion beyond the control of the mainstream.
4. The government can continue encouraging the public to get used to accessing and comparing information from credible sources before forming opinions, and to understand that not all viral information is accurate.
5. The government can continue delivering policies and positive messages to the public, especially by sharing information that brings good news and creates room for continued growth among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the creative industry, farmers, fishers, and workers. The government’s presence and actions in society in responding to current global conditions will help create a positive atmosphere and make people aware that the government remains present alongside them in facing ongoing global developments.
6. The government can engage academics and communication practitioners to find communication formulas that fit current conditions, so that government policy messages can be conveyed effectively to the public, both through mainstream news media and social media.
7. Binokular invites the public to participate constructively by providing responses on social media based on a complete understanding of the government’s position and on data, rather than merely reacting to viral narratives.

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Thank you.

Contact Person

Danu

Ridho