Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – Indonesian police have detained nine social media account owners accused of spreading hoaxes and provocative online content, including recycled videos portraying anti-government protests.
Jakarta Police said on Friday that the arrests followed an investigation by a joint law enforcement team that monitored the activities of several social media influencers and account operators between June and early August.
Police questioned 28 people linked to 37 social media accounts during the investigation. Ten suspects were formally named, and nine have been detained at Jakarta Police headquarters, according to Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation DirectorIman Imanuddin.
"The motives vary, including financial gain. Some suspects received orders or payments from other parties to produce and distribute the content," Iman told a press conference.
The suspects, identified only by their initials – BCK, AD, YAP, AYV, YNI, MMA, SAK, AS, and MZ – are accused of creating, manipulating and disseminating provocative and misleading content that authorities say could incite public unrest and disrupt public order.
Police said one of the cases involved a video widely shared on social media claiming to show an ongoing demonstration in Jakarta. Investigators determined that the footage was actually recorded during protests last year and had been reposted to falsely suggest it depicted current events.
The original video was recorded during protests over economic inequality and governance that swept Indonesia from Aug. 25 to Aug. 30, 2025. The demonstrations intensified after the death of protester Affan on Aug. 28 and turned violent in several cities. Rioters looted the homes of several lawmakers, including Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, while four members of parliament also reported their residences had been ransacked. A report released by the Independent Fact-Finding Coalition (KPF) in February 2026 confirmed that 13 people died during the unrest.
Police said the old footage was deliberately recirculated to mislead the public into believing similar
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and could be expanded to include other individuals suspected of commissioning, producing or distributing the misleading content.
Police described the operation as part of a broader effort to maintain public order in Indonesia's digital space while ensuring law enforcement is conducted transparently and in accordance with the law.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago said the recently circulated protest video was a hoax and did not reflect the current security situation.
"That video is false. It does not depict the current situation in Indonesia. It may have happened in the past, but it does not represent what is happening now," Djamari said.
The National Police urged the public to verify information before sharing it on social media, warning that the spread of false information could create unnecessary panic and social instability.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/police-detain-nine-over-hoax-videos-recycled-to-stoke-protest-fear