Legal Literacy - This article discusses the phenomenon of "Pilkada Core" on social media, which features funny and controversial moments of regional head candidates during debates. This article analyzes its impact on political ethics, electability, and public trust, and highlights potential violations of privacy and defamation.

Pilkada Core

Entering the 2024 simultaneous Pilkada event, the public seems to be made disgusted and even surprised by the behavior of the regional leader candidates. The sons and daughters of the region who are expected to bring change, progress, and other taglines, are now carried away by the "Pilkada Core" phenomenon. A phenomenon that displays a compilation of funny and even controversial moments in open forums or debates for regional head candidates.

“and thirdly, I will make new products such as brambang (shallots), we will make fried brambang and so on. We will make rice into e.. we will make paddy into rice. I think that's it,“ said Ita, candidate for Regent of Nganjuk, number 2 in the Nganjuk Regent debate forum.[1]

“number two is a combination of two generations, the millennial generation and the colonial generation, said Dirham Aksara, candidate for Deputy Regent of Lamongan, number 2 in the Drawing of Candidate Numbers for Regent and Deputy Regent of Lamongan forum[2]

“because we are a unified candidate for Regent and Deputy Regent, I will call my partner,” said Farida, Candidate for Deputy Regent of Bojonegoro, number 1 (one).

Followed by, “Is it wrong for me to stand here..

“Which regulation did I violate, which regulation did I violate,” said the Candidate for Regent of Bojonegoro during the Bojonegoro deputy regent candidate debate[3]

Above is a snippet of some of the moments that spread on social media with the title "Pilkada Core". The use of the phrase core on social media has mushroomed in recent times. According to the Oxford Dictionary, core is the most important or central part of something[4]. Core can also be interpreted as the main part of an object.

However, if we look at its use on social media, there has been a distortion of meaning. Instead of being the core part of something (in this case, the content), core it actually refers to a collection of content that displays a trait or character, such as humor, beauty, etc. The use of the word 'core' which is trending is often attached to various contemporary issues, including the Regional Head Elections. The Pilkada Core phenomenon has gone viral on social media, especially coinciding with the moments of regional head candidate debates. The characteristics of Pilkada Core content are dominated by exposure of the candidates' weaknesses, ranging from unpreparedness, lack of understanding, to various oddities that appear during the debate. This kind of content also often shows the bad side of candidates in public forums. Here are some points of the author's analysis regarding the Pilkada Core phenomenon: