Government Public Relations Must Master Algorithms to Build Public Trust

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Wamenkomdigi) Nezar Patria has affirmed that mastery of social media algorithms has become an essential competency for government public relations officers in order to build and maintain public trust.

In a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday, Nezar assessed that government communication can no longer rely solely on conveying information, but must also be able to understand how filter bubbles, echo chambers, and the dynamics of digital spaces work, so that policy messages reach the public effectively.

“The aim of government public relations is to maintain trust in the government. How do we preserve that trust? We must be able to convince the public that the government is competent, honest, fair, and responsible in championing the public interest,” said Nezar.

For that reason, government public relations officers need to understand the logic of social media so they can devise appropriate communication strategies amid a digital ecosystem controlled by platforms.

“Once we have studied the logic of social media, we can win the narrative, step by step,” Nezar explained.

Success in communication in the digital space is also determined by the ability to choose the right actors, craft messages with appropriate wording, and seize momentum to shift the direction of public conversation. The ability to listen and think critically is an important provision for identifying information gaps that can be filled with fact-based narratives.

Beyond understanding social media dynamics, Nezar encouraged government public relations officers to strengthen their data analysis capabilities in order to map actors, narratives, and the spread of issues as the basis for devising more precisely targeted communication strategies.

“So, it is important to equip ourselves with instruments that can sharpen our ability to convey messages in a more scientific manner,” he said.

Nezar affirmed that public trust is the most important asset in government communication. Therefore, every communication strategy must be directed at safeguarding the government’s credibility through the delivery of information that is honest, fair, responsible, and aligned with the public interest.