Political Disinformation on Social Media and the Erosion of Public Trust Among Indonesia’s Younger Generation

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how political disinformation on social media contributes to the erosion of public trust among Indonesia’s younger generation. Using a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, the study explores young people’s subjective experiences in encountering political content perceived as misleading, manipulative, or lacking credibility. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, digital observation, and documentation involving participants aged 17–30 who actively used social media as a source of political information. The findings reveal four major themes: algorithmic exposure to political disinformation, suspicion as a pattern of information interpretation, verification fatigue, and selective withdrawal from digital political discussion. These findings indicate that political disinformation does not only create informational uncertainty but also forms social and emotional experiences that weaken young people’s trust in political actors, media institutions, and democratic institutions. This study contributes to the literature on digital political communication by emphasizing that the erosion of public trust should be understood as an experiential process shaped through repeated interactions with the digital information ecosystem. The findings imply the importance of strengthening digital literacy, improving transparency in public communication, and developing platform governance policies that are more responsive to the risks of political disinformation. Future research is recommended to compare young people’s experiences across different social media platforms and regional contexts.