Fake Accounts Push Pro-TNI Narrative Amidst Acid Attack Fallout

Hundreds of fake accounts on TikTok and X have been actively spreading a consistent narrative for nearly a week following the acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS). These accounts aim to portray the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) positively, suggesting swift action in arresting four soldiers suspected of the attempted murder.

From early May 2026, at least a thousand anonymous accounts have posted over 10,000 pieces of content across both platforms. The message remains the same: to construct a positive, pro-TNI narrative regarding the handling of Yunus's case. This surge of inorganic uploads floods the digital space amid widespread criticism from civil society groups who argue that military courts have become havens for impunity.

Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, described this narrative as disinformation aimed at legitimizing military trials. He believes the propaganda seeks to obscure demands for military personnel involved in Yunus's assault to be tried in civilian courts. The exposure of this network of inauthentic accounts is the result of a collaboration between Tempo's Fact Check team, the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet), and the Data & Democracy Research Hub.

This investigation is part of a program monitoring digital domestic influence operations that threaten Indonesian democracy. Such operations are coordinated campaigns by state authorities to shape domestic political opinion via social media, with content designed to appear organic, as if created by ordinary users. This manipulative practice is not new; researchers Wijayanto and his team previously documented similar operations during President Jokowi's era in their book "Pasukan Siber: Operasi Pengaruh dan Masa Depan Demokrasi Indonesia."

The structure of these cyber forces operates top-down. At the command peak is the client who orders and funds the operation. Below them, coordinators direct the movement, craft campaign narratives and hashtags, and recruit personnel. Content creators design visuals like memes and images, while influencers with large followings disseminate the main narrative. The lowest tier comprises the cyber troops managing hundreds of fake accounts, amplifying messages at specific times with semi-automated bots. Prof. Ward Berenschot of KITLV in the Netherlands warns that these cyber forces degrade public debate by steering issues according to their employers' agendas, threatening the freedom of expression for citizens and activists through structured digital attacks. This manipulation weakens democratic accountability by manufacturing public opinion to justify the rulers' policies, thereby solidifying oligarchic power.