The new division was established to respond the growing use of social media.

“We cannot only communicate through conventional channels. We must implement two-way communication with the public through social media,” National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said on Wednesday.

Leading the new division, Brig. Gen. Yan Fitri Halimansyah said his new position was a new challenge in his career. Among his tasks is organizing the division and preparing the personnel responsible for handling the police’s public relations.

Boy said that in countering the spread of fake news, the police had to ensure that preventive measures were made in addition to dealing with those responsible for propagating misinformation. He added that the police's role was to assess reports suspected to be fake news so they would not mislead the public.

“It's important for us as a state body to make clarifications to the public. First, we clarify news and then we investigate it," said Boy.

The police will investigate fake news through their Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) using Law No. 11/2008 on Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE), he added.

On whether the police’s tougher measures against fake news would violate the privacy of Indonesian citizens, Boy asserted everyone must be educated about their responsibilities according to the law. "So when it comes to law enforcement, any violation can be charged and legally processed." (dis/ebf)

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