Digital harassment of women journalists in Indonesia ^{CEFR B2}

Digital violence against female journalists and activists in Indonesia has increased and become more visible over the last five years. Women working in media, human rights and fact checking report sustained harassment that combines professional criticism with misogynistic personal attacks. Perpetrators include coordinated political "buzzers" and organised fandoms, while anti-vaccine groups and other online networks target specific individuals.

Concrete cases illustrate the problem. Bunga (a pseudonym) experienced doxing and edited photos after a viral presentation on portrayals of women in Japanese comics, and said the attacks "came after me as a person" and left her fearful in public. Kania faced harassment from buzzers linked to former President Joko Widodo. Pipit was attacked after criticising the national health insurance agency, and Nala was targeted by anti-vaccine groups. Magdalene, an online publication focused on women’s rights, suffered a massive DDoS attack in May 2020.

Research and reports show wide scope and many forms of harm. A 2021 PR2Media survey of 1,256 female journalists found 85.7 percent experienced some form of violence, with 70.1 percent saying it occurred both online and offline. SAFEnet documents doxing, outing of gender or sexuality, online surveillance, photo manipulation, account hacking, DDoS attacks and persistent harassment. Victims report limited institutional protection; some editors advise staff to stay off social media, and responses from media organisations are often reactive rather than preventive.

Legal and platform gaps worsen the risks. Komnas Perempuan’s 2024 CATAHU report recorded 330,097 gender-based violence cases, up 14 percent. The 2022 Sexual Violence Crime Act (TPKS) recognises Electronic-Based Sexual Violence (KBSE) and grants a right to erase online traces, but implementation has stalled. The Personal Data Protection law does not treat women’s bodies and images as personal data, and the older Electronic Information and Transactions law focuses on information transmission rather than direct victim protection. Platform companies have often avoided responsibility; SAFEnet’s executive director said some global tech firms "wash their hands" of safety work, and looser moderation after Donald Trump’s latest accession to office has, according to advocates, emboldened harassment. Organisations such as KOMPAKS and SAFEnet continue to press for faster, culturally aware moderation and stronger legal implementation, because survivors say that without rapid response victims remain exposed.