Indonesia Election Campaign

Despite WhatsApp's efforts to reduce the spread of fake news by limiting the number of forwards to five, the platform was extensively abused to spread unfounded rumours and create misinformation campaigns during recent elections in India and Brazil, a study has revealed.

Polls closed in Indonesia on Wednesday in elections for president and parliament after a campaign across the sprawling equatorial archipelago that was dominated by economic issues but also marked by the growing influence of conservative Islam.

Indonesians began voting in the world's biggest single-day election on Wednesday as polling stations opened across the sprawling equatorial archipelago following a six-month campaign to choose a new president and parliament.

When he was nominated in March as a candidate for Indonesia's presidential election, polls showed Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had a 30-point lead over the man who would become his main challenger, former army general Prabowo Subianto.

While President Barack Obama was accused of being an Kenyan-born Muslim before being elected, in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, presidential frontrunner Joko Widodo has been branded an ethnic Chinese Christian.

Campaigning for Indonesia's July presidential election officially kicked off Wednesday, with favourite Joko Widodo facing a tough challenge from a Suharto-era former general with a chequered human rights record.

Despite WhatsApp's efforts to reduce the spread of fake news by limiting the number of forwards to five, the platform was extensively abused to spread unfounded rumours and create misinformation campaigns during recent elections in India and Brazil, a study has revealed.

Polls closed in Indonesia on Wednesday in elections for president and parliament after a campaign across the sprawling equatorial archipelago that was dominated by economic issues but also marked by the growing influence of conservative Islam.

Indonesians began voting in the world's biggest single-day election on Wednesday as polling stations opened across the sprawling equatorial archipelago following a six-month campaign to choose a new president and parliament.

When he was nominated in March as a candidate for Indonesia's presidential election, polls showed Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had a 30-point lead over the man who would become his main challenger, former army general Prabowo Subianto.

While President Barack Obama was accused of being an Kenyan-born Muslim before being elected, in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, presidential frontrunner Joko Widodo has been branded an ethnic Chinese Christian.

Campaigning for Indonesia's July presidential election officially kicked off Wednesday, with favourite Joko Widodo facing a tough challenge from a Suharto-era former general with a chequered human rights record.