On 19-20 November 2024, we were honored to be invited to speak at the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) Conference on Distortions, Rumours, Untruths, Misinformation and Smears (DRUMS) in Singapore.

The Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) is a constituent research unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.The centre conducts inter-disciplinary research within the broad domains of cyber, disinformation, hybrid threats, and social resilience.

Representing us, Pieter Pandie, one of our researchers, took the stage to talk about the election interference in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Indonesia. Drawing from his ongoing research on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), Pieter shared early findings on the increasing cases of information manipulation in the region. He also discussed the landscape of Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election and how misleading content shared on social media platforms was being used in political campaigns.

In concluding his presentation, Pieter outlined three key takeaways for addressing disinformation during elections:

• Striking a Balance: Effective governance of the information landscape must ensure democratic freedoms while mitigating the spread of harmful disinformation.

• Adopting a Multi-Stakeholder Approach: Governments, social media platforms, and civil society must collaborate comprehensively to counteract election disinformation.

• Acknowledging the Role of Emerging Technologies: New technologies are intensifying the speed, scope, and nature of disinformation.