These attention dynamics were monitored via the Talkwalker application in the first week of the campaign (27 November 2023-3 December 2023). The campaign content Election 2024 generated 268,638 attention by generating 1,295,609 netizen interactions from sharing social media platforms.

A variety of hashtags related to the campaign content of the three pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates are catching the attention of netizens, ranging from #AniesMuhaimin2024, #AMINAjaDulu, #SalamAd1lMakmur, #PrabowoGemoy, #PrabowoGibranIstimewa, #BersamaIndonesiaMaju, GanjarMahfud2024, #SahabatGanjar, to #GanjarPranowo. Please note that the forbidden words PBB, PKS, and PPP are not present in this article.

Looking at the timeline that emerged, the peak of netizen attention occurred on November 28th, 2023, when the presidential campaign period began. The same peak was also observed on the internet search engine Google.

The difference is that the attention of netizens reached its highest point from 2pm to 3pm. Meanwhile, on Google Trends, the highest search related to the presidential campaign occurred at 10am. Despite a slight difference in peak search time, the content that triggers a lot of attention and is sought after by netizens is the locations of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates' campaign events that are laden with symbolic nuances.

One of the content that provides campaign information on the first day comes from the Tiktok account Kompas.com. This content, in the form of a short video with a duration of 3 minutes 39 seconds, compiles three activities of the presidential and vice presidential candidates. This content has been watched by 1.2 million views by Tiktok users, 28,300 likes, and 29,700 interactions between Tiktok users.

Presidential candidate number 1, Anies Baswedan, started his first campaign in Kampung Tanah Merah, North Jakarta. Meanwhile, vice presidential candidate Muhaimin Iskandar campaigned in Surabaya, Sidoarjo and Mojokerto in East Java.

Presidential candidate number 2, Prabowo Subianto, and his vice presidential candidate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, have not campaigned on the first day. Both of them chose to continue carrying out their duties as Minister of Defense and Mayor of Surakarta.

Presidential candidate number 3, Ganjar Pranowo, first campaign in Merauke, South Papua. Meanwhile, his partner, Mahfud MD, is campaigning at the other end of Indonesia, at Taman Pasi Jaboi, Sabang, Aceh.

The choice of campaign location in Tanah Merah, North Jakarta, became a symbol of the struggle for justice carried out in Anies' campaign in the 2024 presidential election. The symbolic capital of the presidential candidate promoted by the Nasdem Party, PKB and PKS draws on the collective memory of his struggle to bring justice to Tanah Merah when he was Governor of DKI Jakarta through a political contract with the residents. This political contract includes, among other things, fulfilling the rights of city residents, including legalizing villages that are considered illegal.

Symbolization of campaign locations was also chosen by Ganjar Pranowo. The presidential candidate supported by PDI-P, PPP, Perindo, and Hanura chose to begin their campaign in Merauke, South Papua. Their vice presidential candidate, Mahfud MD, began their campaign in Sabang, Aceh. Ganjar explained that this choice of location symbolizes the unity of Indonesia from Sabang to Merauke.

The selection of this end-of-the-world location in the Nusantara region also serves as a symbol of the spirituality of the development that will take place in the outskirts of Indonesia. This development is carried out through programs such as One Village One Health Facility and the flagship program of Salary for Teachers who Teach Religious Studies.

Presidential election campaign content

Unlike the other two pairs, the campaign team of the Prabowo-Gibran duo is actively conducting their campaign. The Koalisi Indonesia Maju (KIM) campaign team is supported by Gerindra Party, Golkar Party, Democrat Party, Partai Amanat Nasional, Partai Solidaritas Indonesia, Garuda Party, Partai Bulan Bintang, Partai Gelora, and Prima Party.

They distributed free milk and lunches in several areas in Indonesia. The free nutrition distribution initiative is part of a nutritional assistance program that is one of the flagship programs of Prabowo-Gibran in the 2024 presidential election.

Outside of the campaign location content, the content of free lunch distribution is also among the attention-grabbing topics for internet users. From the frequently used keywords, netizens are curious about the campaign rules that allow for free lunch distribution.

Two other pieces of content that have also grabbed the attention of netizens are voter data leaks and peace declarations. The voter data leak content originated from allegations that 252 million rows of raw voter data for the 2024 elections, purportedly originating from the KPU website, was being sold on an online forum.

The content on the leakage of voter data and food distribution during campaigns, which has gained attention from netizens, carries the same message, which is a call to maintain the campaign rules and the quality of the elections. Clear regulations regarding the limitations on material distribution during campaigns can prevent the occurrence of practices such as vote-buying or any other kind of monetary politics that aim to attract support.

Without more detailed regulations, it is not impossible for the dissemination of materials in other forms that could affect voters' psychology to arise.

In its explanation, the KPU stated that the consumption distributed to election participants must adhere to KPU RI Decision Number 1622 of 2023. In this regulation, the KPU sets the cost of food, drink, and transportation provided to campaign participants according to local standards. The KPU also prohibits the distribution of such items in the form of money.

Important notes need to be given regarding the alleged leakage of voter data. Even though it is still under investigation by the authorities, this alleged leak should be a concern for all parties. From an internal perspective, the circulation of this personal data will lead to the wide distribution of voter identities which makes them vulnerable to exploitation by irresponsible parties.

In another context, namely the atmosphere leading up to the voting, the circulation of personal identification data has the potential to be used for the purpose of election fraud, such as the forgery of electronic ID cards that can be used for voting.

Netizens' hope that the campaign and elections can be fair, complements the hope that the 2024 elections can run peacefully.

The attention of social media users towards this peaceful election was reflected in the attention towards the post of peaceful declaration content from the Tiktok account of Metro TV on November 27, 2023. The content, which featured the Peaceful Election Campaign Declaration event the day before the campaign was held, has been viewed 517,100 times and has generated 11,200 interactions in the past week.