The Technology and Politics Research Cluster of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Indonesia, held a book discussion on The Rise of Digital Repression by Steven Feldstein on 24 September 2025 at the Auditorium of the FISIP UI Communication Building. The discussion brought together academics and researchers to examine the evolving relationship between technology, repression, and democracy.
Moderated by Syaiful Bahri, S.Sos., M.Si., a member of the Technology and Politics Research Cluster, the discussion featured Dr. Hurriyah, Director of PUSKAPOL UI, and Defbry Margiansyah, S.IP., M.A., a researcher at the Center for Political Research, BRIN.
Hurriyah highlighted the persistence of digital repression in Indonesia from the Joko Widodo administration to the present. Drawing on Feldstein’s framework, she discussed digital repression as encompassing surveillance, online censorship, self-censorship, online persecution, information manipulation and disinformation, and internet shutdowns. She also distinguished digital repression from digital authoritarianism, which involves broader government intervention to shape public narratives and political discourse in digital spaces.
Defbry Margiansyah introduced the concept of “digitalizing authoritarianism,” focusing on how authoritarian practices adapt to and operate through digital technologies. He highlighted its implications for democratic accountability and public participation, particularly amid increasing state intervention in Indonesia’s digital public space.
The discussion reflected the Technology and Politics Research Cluster’s commitment to fostering academic exchange and advancing research on emerging issues at the intersection of technology and politics. Through activities such as book discussions, seminars, and research forums, the Cluster provides a platform for critical engagement with the political implications of technological change.
