#WeAreNotAfraid: Unveiling the messages and mobilizers of online collective actions to cope with terrorism in Indonesia

The threat of terrorism has become widespread across the globe, including in Indonesia. However, when bombs and shootouts took place in Jakarta on 2016, Twitter in Indonesia was first introduced to the hashtag #KamiTidakTakut (We are not afraid) as a response to the terrorist attack and became a worldwide trending topic on the platform. The online collective action also moved offline as the following day, hundreds of people went to the street for acts of solidarity (Wardah, 2016). Since then, the movement consistently emerged after terrorist attacks, such as during the 2017 Kampung Melayu bombing attacks and the 2018 Surabaya bombing attacks. Through this online collective action, many believed that they could fight against terrorism (Amindoni, 2016). Currently, the Indonesian government attempts to involve citizens in countering terrorism by utilizing social media. Therefore, the collective action initiated by the public that spreads positive messages on online platforms supports the government's antiterrorism campaign (Samosir, 2016).
A growing number of studies have investigated social movements or collective actions as a result of the perceived threat from the government (Khondker, 2011; Lee & Chan, 2016). However, the literature of collective action to support the government in response to an outsider’s threat is still rather scarce. Furthermore, past investigations suggested that messages and the source could influence someone's beliefs and opinions, which were essential to mobilize individuals to engage in collective action (Slater & Rouner, 1996). Yet, little is known about the influential actors and messages that can mobilize the public in collective actions.
To address these research gaps, this study conducts a Twitter content analysis, focusing on the Kami Tidak Takut campaign in the 2018 terrorist attack. This research sheds light on the messages shared on Twitter and the actors of the collective action. Furthermore, this investigation also sets out to identify the prevalent messages and mobilizers that trigger the highest engagement rate. The findings present practical implications for the government or other institutions to design effective crisis management in order to direct the public opinion and dampen the public's panic and fear post-bombing attacks by communicating the right messages through appropriate sources. Moreover, this scholarly research also offers useful insights into the literature of online collective action by scrutinizing the Indonesian citizens' collective action on social media.