Two journalists in Gorontalo, Sarjan and Toger experienced digital attacks on February 5, 2025.
The perpetrators spread false information related to the contents of whatsapp chats in their names along with personal photos that were spread on facebook with the name of the account owner Latabu Aidi and the personal whatsapp of journalists in Gorontalo.
The attack was aimed at the journalists because news related to illegal gold mining activities in Pohuwato Regency, Gorontalo was published. Several articles are considered the main triggers for this attack.
From these articles, various news emerged related to the same issue, including: "Alleged gold mining without a permit Hulawa involves the police chief and the police chief's adjutant: Bad Precedent for the Institution".
Since the news was published, the journalists have also been terrorized by several unknown people on the grounds of wanting to visit and ask to stop the coverage about the news. But Sarjan refused the meeting.
ThenSarjan experienced a digital attack in the form of impersonation which utilized digital processing in the form of screenshots of the whatsapp conversation application, the contents of which appeared to be a conversation requesting payment between the victim and another party.
From 2 to 5 February 2025 journalist from Kontras.id, Toger also experienced the same thing. He received an invitation a meeting to discuss stopping the news. But Toger refused the invitation.
The peak of the rejection of the meeting, that he found his personal photos along with snippets of slanderous messages spread on social media via facebook.