Indonesia: social network penetration Q3 2024

With a penetration rate of around 92 percent, Whatsapp was the most used social network in Indonesia. However, all the other widely known social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook also enjoy a high penetration rate, making Indonesia one of the largest social media markets in the world.

Social media in Indonesia

The increasing number of internet users and the increasing affordability of smartphones has successfully changed the social media environment in Indonesia. A large share of Indonesians use smartphones for almost everything, making their daily lives more convenient For most Indonesians, social media is a convenient way to contact families in remote locations of the archipelago; it allows them to continuously interact with friends and it keeps them up-to-date with the daily news. There are quite a few who suspect that the congestion in large cities and the associated waiting times have led to social platforms enjoying ever greater popularity.

The downside of social media

With social media being one of the leading news sources in Indonesia, it has the power to shape public perception, sometimes negatively. The country is highly vulnerable to online hoaxes, which led the government to take action in 2019. Following electoral riots, authorities temporarily restricted access to major platforms like YouTube, Whatsapp, Facebook, and Instagram to curb the spread of fake news.