The researchers argue that digital and social media have fundamentally transformed the relationship between governments and citizens. Information about controversial policies now spreads within minutes across online platforms, allowing the public to scrutinize government actions long before official institutions are ready to respond. As a result, traditional one-way government communication is becoming increasingly ineffective.
To illustrate this challenge, the study examines the 2026 controversy surrounding Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (Badan Gizi Nasional/BGN) and the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. Public criticism erupted after videos showing more than 21,800 electric motorcycles bearing the BGN logo stored in a warehouse went viral on social media. The procurement, valued at approximately Rp1 trillion, raised widespread questions about why a child nutrition program required such a large purchase of operational vehicles.
Within weeks, the controversy escalated into a criminal investigation. Indonesia's Attorney General's Office named five suspects, including former BGN executives, while an official audit later estimated annual budget inefficiencies of around Rp10.5 trillion. According to the researchers, the government's inability to provide clear, coordinated explanations allowed a reputational crisis to evolve into a broader crisis of public trust.
Government Communication Failed to Keep Pace
Dhani and Doho emphasize that the communication failure was not simply caused by ineffective messaging. Instead, they argue that government public relations professionals were excluded from the policy-making process itself.
In an effective governance system, GPR professionals should participate before major policies are finalized. Their role includes identifying potential public concerns, evaluating communication risks, preparing transparent explanations, and even advising policymakers to reconsider decisions that are unlikely to gain public acceptance.
The BGN case demonstrated the opposite. Public relations officers only reacted after the controversy had already spread online, resulting in inconsistent statements from multiple officials and a fragmented communication strategy.
Introducing the Concept of "Spin Doctoring by Default"
One of the study's most significant contributions is the introduction of a new concept called "spin doctoring by default."
Unlike traditional spin doctoring—which involves deliberate efforts to manipulate public opinion—spin doctoring by default occurs when poor institutional communication unintentionally produces the same public perception as deliberate manipulation.
According to the researchers, this phenomenon emerges because:
Public relations professionals are excluded from policy planning.
Communication advisers lack authority to challenge senior decision-makers.
Institutions respond only after a crisis has erupted.
Multiple officials deliver inconsistent messages without strategic coordination.
As a result, citizens experience government communication as defensive and misleading, even when no organized propaganda campaign exists.
Democracy Requires Public Relations Professionals Who Can Challenge Leaders
The study highlights the importance of the devil's advocate role in government communication.
Rather than serving only as spokespersons, GPR professionals should actively question policy proposals before implementation. Their responsibility is to anticipate public criticism, evaluate potential communication risks, and provide honest feedback to political leaders.
The researchers argue that Indonesia's bureaucratic culture, often summarized by the expression "asal bapak senang" ("keeping the boss happy"), discourages constructive criticism within government institutions. Consequently, public relations officers are frequently expected to defend policies instead of evaluating them objectively.
Social Media Has Changed the Nature of Government Crises
The research also explains how social media has dramatically accelerated crisis communication.
In the past, governments could manage information primarily through traditional media channels. Today, ordinary citizens can instantly distribute videos, photographs, and documents through digital platforms, creating public narratives before official responses are available.
The viral video of thousands of electric motorcycles stored in a warehouse illustrates this transformation. Public opinion formed rapidly online while government agencies struggled to explain the procurement, exposing the limitations of one-way communication in the digital era.
According to the authors, governments must move toward a two-way communication model that treats public criticism as valuable feedback rather than as an obstacle to policy implementation.
Four Major Contributions to Government Communication Research
The study offers four important contributions to the field of government public relations.
First, it provides empirical evidence that positioning GPR merely as a technical communication function contributes directly to policy communication failures.
Second, it introduces the concept of spin doctoring by default, expanding existing theories that traditionally focus only on intentional manipulation.
Third, it extends Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) by demonstrating how crises can rapidly shift from reputational issues to criminal investigations, requiring entirely different communication strategies.
Fourth, it argues that government communication professionals have an ethical obligation to serve citizens as their primary constituency, rather than treating institutional leaders as their sole responsibility.
Recommendations for Better Government Communication
The researchers recommend placing Government Public Relations professionals at the highest levels of policy development.
Rather than being involved only after decisions have been made, communication advisers should participate alongside legal, financial, and operational officials throughout the policy-making process. This would allow governments to identify communication risks, anticipate public concerns, and adjust policies before they become public controversies.
The study also recommends establishing a senior government communication official with ministerial or deputy-ministerial authority who can provide independent strategic advice directly to the president and cabinet on the public implications of major policy decisions.
According to Dhani and Doho, effective government communication should not focus solely on protecting institutional reputation. Instead, it should ensure that citizens receive honest, transparent information that enables democratic oversight of public policies and taxpayer-funded programs.
Author Profile
Rendro Dhani is a researcher and academic at the LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Jakarta, specializing in government public relations, strategic communication, political communication, and communication ethics.
Yohannes Don Bosco Doho is an academic at the LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Jakarta, whose research focuses on government communication, public relations, democratic governance, and public policy communication.
Research Source
Article Title: Spin Doctoring as Democratic Betrayal: The Ethical Collapse of Government Public Relations in Hybrid Democracy
Authors: Rendro Dhani and Yohannes Don Bosco Doho
Journal: International Journal of Advanced Scientific Research (IJASR), Volume 4, Issue 7, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijasr.v4i7.283
E-ISSN: 3025-7670
Journal Website: https://nvlmultitechpublisher.my.id/index.php/ijasr/index
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