FROM MASS DEMONSTRATIONS TO DIGITAL CRITICISM: A DESCRIPTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CHANGES IN FUEL CONSUMER RESPONSES TO FUEL PRICE INCREASES IN INDONESIA FROM CONVENTIONAL MEDIA TO DIGITAL PLATFORMS, 2000–2026
Published:
2026-05-24Downloads
Abstract
Fuel price increases in Indonesia have long prompted public responses because fuel prices directly affect transportation costs, household expenses, purchasing power, and perceptions of economic justice. This study aims to analyze changes in fuel consumer responses to fuel price increases in Indonesia from 2000 to 2026, particularly the shift from mass demonstrations to digital criticism. This research uses a qualitative descriptive-comparative approach by examining documents, media reports, protest records, and public digital traces. The analysis compares three periods: 2000–2010, 2011–2016, and 2017–2026. The findings indicate that public responses have shifted from collective physical actions, such as demonstrations by students, labor groups, and civil society, to more dispersed digital expressions via social media comments, hashtags, memes, short videos, and online opinions. This transformation does not indicate declining public dissatisfaction, but rather a shift in the space and form of consumer expression.
Keywords:
Fuel Price Customer Response Mass Demonstration Digital Criticism IndonesiaReferences
Agbonifo , J. (2023). Fuel subsidies protests in Nigeria: The promise and mirage of empowerment. The Extractive Industries and Society, 16 , 101333. doi:10.1016/j.exis .2023.101333
Ali, M.R., Shafiq, M., & Andejany , M. (2021). Determinants of consumers' intentions towards the purchase of energy efficient appliances in Pakistan: An extended model of the theory of planned behavior. Sustainability, 13 (2), 565. doi:10.3390/su13020565
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50 (2), 179–211. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Association Indonesian Internet Service Providers . (2024, February 7). APJII total Indonesian internet users reach 221 million . Retrieved May 9, 2026, from https://apjii.or.id/berita/d/apjii-jumlah-pengguna-internet-indonesia-tembus-221-juta-orang
Bennett, W. L., & Segerberg , A. (2012). The logic of connective action: Digital media and the personalization of contentious politics. Information, Communication & Society, 15 (5), 739–768. doi:10.1080/1369118X.2012.670661
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2), 77–101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Castells, M. (2012). Networks of outrage and hope: Social movements in the Internet age . Cambridge, England: Polity Press.
Drabo, A., Eklou, K.M., Imam, P.A., & Kpodar , K. (2023). Social unrest and fuel prices: The role of macroeconomic, social and institutional factors (IMF Working Paper No. WP/23/228). Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund.
Elo, S., & Kyngäs , H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62 (1), 107–115. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648. 2007.04569.x
Fragkandreas , T. (2025). Case study research on innovation systems: Paradox, dialectical analysis and resolution. Research Policy, 54 (1), 105136. doi:10.1016/j.respol .2024.105136
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia. (2022, September 3). Transfer fuel subsidy after subsidy appropriate targets and anticipation turmoil World oil . Retrieved May 9, 2026, from https://www.esdm.go.id/id/berita-unit/direktorat-jenderal-minyak-dan-gas-bumi/siaran-pers-pengalihan-subsidi-bbm-demi-subsidi-tepat-sasaran-dan-antisipasi-gejolak-minyak-dunia
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia. (2024, October 20). Officially inaugurated So President of the Republic of Indonesia for the 2024–2029 period , President Prabowo emphasized sovereignty and self-sufficiency energy . Retrieved May 9, 2026, from https://www.esdm.go.id/id/media-center/arsip-berita/resmi-dilantik-jadi-presiden-ri-periode-2024-2029-presiden-prabowo-tekankan-kedaulatan-dan-swasembada-energi
Lim, M. (2013). Many clicks but few sticks: Social media activism in Indonesia. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 43 (4), 636–657. doi:10.1080/00472336.2013.769386
Malc, D., Mumel , D., & Pisnik , A. (2016). Exploring price fairness perceptions and their influence on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research, 69 (9), 3693–3697. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres .2016.03.031
Mayring , P. (2000). Qualitative content analysis. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 1 (2), Article 20. doi:10.17169/fqs-1.2.1089
McCulloch, N., Natalini, D., Hossain, N., & Justino, P. (2022). An exploration of the association between fuel subsidies and fuel riots. World Development, 157 , 105935. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev .2022.105935
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Mueller, G. E. (1958). The Hegelian legend of “thesis-antithesis-synthesis.” Journal of the History of Ideas, 19 (3), 411–414. doi:10.2307/2708045
Musyaffa , I., & Kamayani, M. (2022). Analysis sentiment increase Fuel prices on Twitter . Proceedings of the TEKNOKA National Seminar, 7 , 124–134. Retrieved from https://journal.uhamka.ac.id/teknoka/article/download/11244/3590/32659
O'Reilly, T. (2005, September 30). What is Web 2.0: Design patterns and business models for the next generation of software . Retrieved May 9, 2026, from https://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html
Patria, N., Irawanto , B., & Abrar, AN (2025). “(Don't) stop the rising oil price”: Mediatization, digital discourse, and fuel price controversies in Indonesian online media. Journalism and Media, 6 (3), 124. doi:10.3390/journalmedia6030124
Salvo, A., & Huse, C. (2013). Build it, but will they come? Evidence from consumer choice between gasoline and sugar cane ethanol. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 66 (2), 251–279. doi:10.1016/j.jeem .2013.04.001
Sitio, SLM, & Nadiyanti , R. (2022). Analysis sentiment increase Pertamax fuel prices on social media use Naïve Bayes Classifier method . Building of Informatics, Technology and Science (BITS), 4 (3), 1224–1231. doi:10.47065/ bits.v 4i3.2311
Sugiyono. (2017). Research methods quantitative , qualitative , and R&D . Bandung: Alfabeta .
Sun, H., Jing, P., Wang, B., Cai, Y., Ye, J., & Wang, B. (2023). The effect of record-high gasoline prices on consumers' new energy vehicle purchase intention: Evidence from the uniform experimental design. Energy Policy, 175 , 113500. doi:10.1016/j.enpol .2023.113500
Tufekci, Z. (2017). Twitter and tear gas: The power and fragility of networked protest . New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
UNdata . (nd). Percentage of individuals using the internet: Indonesia . Retrieved May 9, 2026, from https://data.un.org/Data.aspx?d=ITU&f=ind1Code%3AI99H%3BcountryCode%3AIDN
von Uexkull, N., Rød, E. G., & Svensson, I. (2024). Fueling protests? Climate change mitigation, fuel prices and protest onset. World Development, 177 , 106536. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev .2024.106536
World Bank. (nd). Individuals using the Internet (% of population) - Indonesia . Retrieved May 9, 2026, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?locations=ID
Xia, L., Monroe, K. B., & Cox, J. L. (2004). The price is unfair! A conceptual framework of price fairness perceptions. Journal of Marketing, 68 (4), 1–15. doi:10.1509/jmkg.68.4.1.42733
Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: A means-end model and synthesis of evidence. Journal of Marketing, 52 (3), 2–22. doi:10.1177/002224298805200302
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Aldirafi Gani, Dean Joshua Dotulong, Farida Yuliaty, Vip Paramarta, Kosasih
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
