Mafindo: Ade Armando is Neither Founder, Volunteer, nor Member
The Indonesian Anti-Hoax Society (Mafindo) has refuted claims by PSI politician and Commissioner of PT PLN Nusantara Power, Ade Armando, as the founder of the organisation. Previously, Ade’s name was mentioned as one of Mafindo’s founders in an article titled ‘The Paradox of Ade Armando’.
Mafindo Presidium Chairman Septiaji Eko Nugroho denied Ade’s involvement in the organisation. “Mafindo was founded by a group of digital literacy activists and observers of misinformation issues who came together collectively. The names of Mafindo’s founders are openly accessible via our official website at mafindo.or.id. Ade Armando is neither a founder, volunteer, nor member of Mafindo,” stated Septiaji in an official release on Wednesday, 15 April 2026.
Septiaji stressed that Mafindo is an independent, non-partisan organisation with no affiliations to any practical political interests. He respects freedom of opinion as part of democracy but believes accuracy of information remains a fundamental principle to uphold.
Mafindo advises all parties to verify the truth of information before publishing articles. Septiaji requested that those mentioning the organisation first fact-check and seek confirmation. “We hope that spreading political cases are not linked to Mafindo,” he said.
‘The Paradox of Ade Armando’ is an opinion piece published in an online media outlet. In the opinion, it was written, “More than just teaching, he (Ade) helped found Mafindo (Indonesian Anti-Defamation Society), a movement born from the awareness that disinformation is poison to democracy.”
Furthermore, “Mafindo’s name has become one of the references in Indonesia’s digital literacy ecosystem: an institution that teaches the public how to distinguish facts from fabrications, how to read claims without hastily swallowing them.”
Ade Armando also denied founding Mafindo. “I am indeed not a founder of Mafindo,” he said via a short message on Thursday, 16 April 2026. He also stated that he is neither a volunteer nor a member of the organisation.