Is Jakarta turning into Gotham? How viral crime panics become pretext for expanding military visibility
Viral social media posts about crime in Jakarta have led to public panic and calls for increased military and police presence. Analysts suggest these viral trends are being used as a pretext for the government to expand state surveillance and authoritarian security measures.
Why it matters
It illustrates how digital misinformation can directly influence public policy and the erosion of civil liberties in a developing democracy.
A recent spate of violent robberies in Jakarta by motorcycle assailants, or begal , has unfolded amid deteriorating socio‑economic conditions under the Prabowo administration, as slowing growth, rising living costs, and tightening labour markets deepen everyday precarity .
The article critiques government security responses and highlights concerns regarding authoritarianism.
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