The Necessity and Feasibility of Imposing Conventional Media Content Regulation on Digital Media Content in Indonesia (Case Study: The Controversy of Awkarin and Young Lex’s Music Video)

(Case Study: The Controversy of Awkarin and Young Lex’s Music Video)

Abstract

Operating in various countries, YouTube has a content regulation that strongly influenced by American Culture. However, there are many countries that have a different culture and value compared to America, such as Indonesia. As the largest Muslim country, it has stricter social norms. In 2016, Indonesian famous Youtubers, Awkarin and Young Lex, were making a controversy by uploading music videos that containing vulgar words and exposing sexually-suggestive footages. This research aims to study how the viewers reacting to the videos, Youtubers’ perspectives, and assess how the government handles the controversy, to finally determine the necessity and feasibility of imposing conventional media content regulation on digital media. This research was conducted using mix method approach, those are content analysis and interview. The results have shown that although the videos received various negative reactions, the government decided to only give a friendly warning. Considering several sectors, the digital media content remains impossible to be detailly regulated by the government as the way conventional media regulated. Therefore, the government has applied other strategies that were maintaining excellent coordination with the digital platforms and increasing public literacy in internet using.