Abstract
Digital transformation has become a major driver of change in politics and governance in Indonesia. This study aims to examine the opportunities and challenges faced in the process of digitalizing the public sector in Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach with case studies and literature analysis, the research identifies several key aspects, including increased political participation through social media platforms, the evolution of e-governance, and the implications of cybersecurity and data privacy. The units of analysis include policies and practices of digitalization in the public sector. The study population consists of government agencies, active politicians on social media, and citizens participating in digital politics. A purposive sampling technique was used to select key government agencies, influential politicians on social media, and digitally active citizens. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and document analysis and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The findings indicate that digital technology creates new opportunities to enhance transparency, efficiency, and public participation in Indonesian governance. However, challenges such as the digital divide, cybersecurity threats, and data privacy protection remain. The results highlight the importance of adaptive policies and robust regulatory frameworks to maximize the benefits of digital transformation while addressing existing challenges.
References
Adeodato, R., & Pournouri, S. (2020). Secure Implementation of E-Governance: A Case Study About Estonia. In Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications (pp. 397–429). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35746-7_18
Aspinall, E., & Mietzner, M. (2010). Problems of democratisation in Indonesia: Elections, institutions and society. In Problems of Democratisation in Indonesia: Elections, Institutions and Society. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
Badan Pusat Statistik. (2022). Statistik Telekomunikasi Indonesia 2021.
Barrett, M. (2018). Framework for improving critical infrastructure cybersecurity. Proceedings of the Annual ISA Analysis Division Symposium, 535, 9–25.
Bertot, J. C., Jaeger, P. T., & Grimes, J. M. (2010). Using ICTs to create a culture of transparency: E-government and social media as openness and anti-corruption tools for societies. Government Information Quarterly, 27(3), 264–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2010.03.001
Bhardwaj, A., & Cyphert, D. (2020). Direct Benefit Transfer Using Aadhaar. In Examining the roles of IT and social media in democratic development and social change (pp. 185–210). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-1791-8.ch008
Birnbaum, R., Christensen, C. M., Christensen, C. M., & Raynor, M. E. (2005). The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Academe, 91(1), 80. https://doi.org/10.2307/40252749
Castells, M. (2016). Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age. In Democracy (pp. 433–435). Columbia University Press. https://doi.org/10.7312/blau17412-091
Chadwick, A. (2017). The Hybrid Media System: Politics and Power, Second Edition (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190696726.001.0001
Chen, E. (2022). As Cyber Threats Grow, Indonesia’s Data Protection Efforts Are Falling Short. The Diplomat.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2017). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Dijk, J. Van. (2006). The Network Society. Social Aspects of New Media. In The New Faces of Victimhood: Globalization, …. SAGE Publications.
Gelb, A., & Metz, A. D. (2017). Identification revolution: Can digital ID be harnessed for development? In Identification Revolution: Can Digital ID be Harnessed for Development? Brookings Institution Press.
Gil-Garcia, J. R., Helbig, N., & Ojo, A. (2014). Being smart: Emerging technologies and innovation in the public sector. Government Information Quarterly, 31(S1), I1–I8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2014.09.001
Habermas, J., Lennox, S., & Lennox, F. (1974). The Public Sphere: An Encyclopedia Article (1964). New German Critique, 3, 49. https://doi.org/10.2307/487737
Heeks, R., & Stanforth, C. (2007). Understanding e-Government project trajectories from an actor-network perspective. European Journal of Information Systems, 16(2), 165–177. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.ejis.3000676
Heurix, J., Zimmermann, P., Neubauer, T., & Fenz, S. (2015). A taxonomy for privacy enhancing technologies. Computers & Security, 53, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2015.05.002
Hood, C. (1991). A PUBLIC MANAGEMENT FOR ALL SEASONS? Public Administration, 69(1), 3–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.1991.tb00779.x
Kalvet, T. (2012). Innovation: a factor explaining e-government success in Estonia. Electronic Government, an International Journal, 9(2), 142. https://doi.org/10.1504/EG.2012.046266
Kim, S., & Lee, J. (2012). E‐Participation, Transparency, and Trust in Local Government. Public Administration Review, 72(6), 819–828. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2012.02593.x
Kitsing, M. (2011). Success Without Strategy: E‐Government Development in Estonia. Policy & Internet, 3(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.2202/1944-2866.1095
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press.
Lathrop, D., & Ruma, L. (2010). Open government: Collaboration, transparency, and participation in practice. O’Reilly Media.
Liew, M. E. (2022). Is Indonesia on track to a fully digital government by 2025? GovInsider.
Lund, B. (2021). Fourth Industrial Revolution. Information Technology and Libraries, 40(1). https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v40i1.13193
Luyt, B. (2003). Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet Worldwide. Social Science Computer Review, 21(1), 120–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439302238974
Margetts, H., & Dunleavy, P. (2013). The second wave of digital-era governance: a quasi-paradigm for government on the Web. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 371(1987), 20120382. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2012.0382
Marien, M. (2014). Book Review: The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. World Futures Review, 6(2), 189–193. https://doi.org/10.1177/1946756714541404
Mazzucato, M. (2013). The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Private vs. Public Sector Myths. Anthem Press.
Meijer, A. (2015). E-governance innovation: Barriers and strategies. Government Information Quarterly, 32(2), 198–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2015.01.001
Mordor Intelligence. (2023). Indonesia Cybersecurity Market - Size, Share & Trends.
Nam, T. (2012). Citizens’ attitudes toward Open Government and Government 2.0. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 78(2), 346–368. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852312438783
Nam, T. (2015). Challenges and Concerns of Open Government. Social Science Computer Review, 33(5), 556–570. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439314560848
Paun, M. (2018). Data and Goliath: the hidden battles to collect your data and control your world. Law, Innovation and Technology, 10(1), 153–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/17579961.2018.1451267
Priyono, A., Moin, A., & Putri, V. N. A. O. (2020). Identifying Digital Transformation Paths in the Business Model of SMEs during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6(4), 104. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc6040104
Rinaldi, T., Purnomo, M., & Damayanti, D. (2007). Fighting corruption in decentralized Indonesia. In World Bank. World Bank.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
Rokhman, A. (2011). E-Government Adoption in Developing Countries; the Case of Indonesia. Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences, 2(5), 228–236.
Shirky, C. (2010). Cognitive surplus: How technology makes consumers into collaborators. Penguin.
Solove, D. J. (2006). A Taxonomy of Privacy. University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 154(3), 477. https://doi.org/10.2307/40041279
Tufekci, Z. (2014). Social Movements and Governments in the Digital Age: Evaluating a Complex Landscape. Journal of International Affairs, 68(1), 1–18.
Vidanage, A., Ranbaduge, T., Christen, P., & Schnell, R. (2022). Taxonomy of Attacks on Privacy-Preserving Record Linkage. Journal of Privacy and Confidentiality, 12(1), 946–969. https://doi.org/10.29012/jpc.764
We Are Social Indonesia. (2023). Digital 2023: Indonesia.
Weerakkody, V., Irani, Z., Lee, H., Osman, I., & Hindi, N. (2015). E-government implementation: A bird’s eye view of issues relating to costs, opportunities, benefits and risks. Information Systems Frontiers, 17(4), 889–915. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-013-9472-3
West, D. M. (2011). Digital government: Technology and public sector performance. Princeton University Press.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Znoj, H. (2017). Deep Corruption in Indonesia: Discourses, Practices, Histories. In Corruption and the Secret of Law (pp. 53–74). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315259208-3

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2023 Muhlis Hafel