Political hyper-reality in social media: A case study of female candidates in the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) of South Sumatera, Indonesia

Abstract

This study focused on the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) election in South Sumatra, Indonesia, and examined the creation of hyper-reality in the social media campaigns of female legislative candidates (caleg). Furthermore, it specifically concentrated on the use of social media platforms. A mixed-methodology approach was used, which combined content analysis of social media posts with semi-structured interviews involving twelve informants. This study also aimed to determine how female DPD candidates project their image on social media and the effect on voters. The results showed that female DPD candidates presented themselves on social media in a manner consistent with sociocultural expectations of the role women are expected to play in politics. They portrayed themselves as individuals who can maintain a healthy balance between professional and personal lives, who are educated, devout and have connections with influential people and the general public. It was also shown that voters are still influenced by hyper-realistic depictions of political candidates shared on social media, even though they can differentiate between photographs shared on social media and actual reality. This demonstrated the significant impact of social media on shaping public opinion and the conduct of political actors. This result will contribute to the expanding academic literature on hyper-reality, politics and social media. It will also shed light on the creation of hyper-reality in the political campaigns of women seeking legislative office. This study emphasized the importance of social media as a strategic tool in contemporary politics and how hyper-reality constructions may influence voters’ perceptions and behaviour in the context of DPD elections in South Sumatra.