Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation as Drivers of Hate Speech on Social Media: A Sociological Perspective on Indonesia’s Digital Literacy Deficit

The increasing use of social media in Indonesia has expanded the potential spread of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation, which trigger hate speech and worsen social polarization. This study aims to identify the conceptual differences among these three types of false information and evaluate their contributions to the dynamics of hate speech in Indonesian digital media. Using a qualitative-descriptive approach, netnography and content analysis methods were employed to observe posts and discussions on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. The results indicate that low levels of digital literacy, especially among Generation Z, reinforce the spread of false information, while social media algorithms deepen the echo chamber effect. Furthermore, the findings show that digital literacy training integrated with ethical values and critical skills can significantly reduce the tendency to spread misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation and hate speech.