ASEAN Beat | Society | Southeast Asia

How Indonesia and Singapore Handle Information Pressure

From election debates to AI‑manipulated content, audiences in both countries rely on legacy media for credibility while increasingly consuming politics through fast, visual, and creator‑driven formats.

Trust in news continues to slide globally, yet when elections arrive, audiences in Indonesia and Singapore behave differently. New evidence from both countries shows that even in a fragmented, creator‑driven information ecosystem, voters still return to legacy media for credibility and reassurance.

The latest Reuters Institute Digital News Report highlighted a familiar trend: social media and video platforms have on average across markets overtaken news websites and apps, and global trust in news has fallen to 37 percent, the lowest level since 2015. A Eurobarometer survey across 27 EU states similarly found that two in three users seek political information on social media, and more than one-third follow influencers.

These patterns raise a critical question: do people rely on different information sources when the stakes are high? Studies conducted during the 2024 Indonesian presidential election and the 2025 Singapore general election suggest they do.

In Indonesia, a nationally representative two‑wave panel survey found that television remained the most accessed source of election news, followed by WhatsApp and face‑to‑face conversations. YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram have grown rapidly, but they have not displaced TV’s central role. Print media has nearly vanished, with almost nine in ten respondents saying they never accessed it.

Trust patterns mirror usage. Indonesians placed the greatest trust in television and interpersonal conversations – not social media. During high‑stakes moments, voters seek not only speed but facts, familiarity, and accountability.

Singapore shows a similar pattern despite its more digitally saturated environment. During the 2025 general election, digital versions of legacy outlets such as CNA, The Straits Times, and Lianhe Zaobao were among the most used and trusted sources. Television remained the second most trusted medium across demographics. Print continues to decline, but the institutions behind it retain influence through digital migration.

Across both countries, the evidence is clear: legacy media has not disappeared; it has moved online. When voters need clarity, they turn to brands associated with editorial credibility.

Legacy media now competes in a transformed attention economy. Short‑form video, creator commentary, and podcasts have become central to political communication, especially among younger voters.

In Indonesia, voters aged 15-24 consumed election content primarily through TikTok, WhatsApp, TV, Instagram, and YouTube. Podcasts and influencers were key sources of political commentary. Singapore’s voters showed similar behavior: TikTok and YouTube were major platforms for younger voters, and nearly one‑third of all voters consumed podcasts daily during election time.

This shift has........

© The Diplomat