Digital Generation's Political Participation in the 'MBG Mas Bahlil Ganteng' Jingle

Amidst Generation Z’s crisis of confidence in formal politics, a notable public phenomenon has emerged. Political meme and humour culture has created a more fluid space for communication. A recent example is the viral jingle ‘MBG Mas Bahlil Ganteng’ associated with Bahlil Lahadalia, Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Minister and Golkar Party Chairman. This phenomenon underscores that political communication today extends beyond stage rhetoric, manifestos, or institutional forums, instead circulating through digital symbols. TikTok sounds, video clips, and witty social media comments have become new arenas for producing political meaning. At this point, the public is no longer merely an audience but actively produces political narratives themselves. Shifting from top-down communication to a horizontal, participatory digital culture. Where this phenomenon finds new expression in political meme culture. This phenomenon can be analysed through the lens of mass communication theories linked to cultural studies, specifically Henry Jenkins’ (2006) concept of participatory culture. In this context, the meme around the ‘MBG Mas Bahlil Ganteng’ jingle is more than just internet humour. The song represents a new form of political participation—light-hearted yet potent in shaping public affinity, image, and perception of political figures. In the digital ecosystem, the audience is no longer passive, as assumed in classical mass communication theories such as the Hypodermic Needle Theory. Digital society now acts as prosumers—both producers and consumers of information.