A Juridical Review Of The “No Viral No Justice” Phenomenon As A Tool Of Social Control Over Law Enforcement Officers In The Digital Era

Abdul Fatakh

doi:10.55227/ijhess.v5i2.1801

Authors

Abdul Fatakh Universitas Islam Negeri Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55227/ijhess.v5i2.1801

Keywords:

No Viral No Justice, Law Enforcement, Presumption of Innocence, Due Process of Law, Social Media

Abstract

The “No Viral No Justice” phenomenon reflects a shift in the way society demands justice, where social media functions as an informal tool of social control that influences the performance of law enforcement authorities. This study employs a normative juridical approach by analyzing written legal norms such as the 1945 Constitution, the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), Law No. 2 of 2002 on the National Police, and Law No. 19 of 2016 on Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE Law). In addition, a sociological juridical approach is applied to examine how social media virality factually influences law enforcement practices, complemented by library research and case study analysis of several viral legal cases in Indonesia. The findings show that although social media virality can help bring attention to previously neglected cases, it also carries the risk of trial by the public, mass pressure, and mob justice, which can undermine the integrity of the legal process. Based on an analysis of KUHAP, Law No. 48 of 2009 on Judicial Authority, and Law No. 2 of 2002 on the National Police, it is evident that Indonesia's positive law already provides a framework that ensures substantive justice without relying on public pressure. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen regulations on the limits of public intervention, improve digital legal education, and enhance institutional transparency so that social control remains within the framework of a just and balanced rule of law (rechtsstaat).

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