App, votes, manipulation in Indonesia

The Indonesian election commission introduced an app named Sirekap to expedite vote counts and ensure transparency in the massive 2024 election. Sirekap, designed for Android devices, allows officials to photograph result sheets, known as C1 forms and uses optical character recognition (OCR) to read and collate data for online posting.

However, the app's potential was marred by significant technical issues, leading to widespread discrepancies in vote counts. Launched without comprehensive testing or adequate training for polling staff, Sirekap's OCR technology often misinterpreted numbers, disseminating inaccurate data.

Polling station staff quickly noticed these errors on election day. Still, it was needed to prepare to address them due to a lack of proper training. An official, identifying himself as Andy, revealed that the app's training was insufficient, with no accurate simulation available. This lack of preparedness resulted in visible errors, such as the app misreading a tally of 11 votes as 44. Social media quickly highlighted these discrepancies, causing public concern.

The stakes were high, with over 20,000 seats, including the presidential election at stake. The Indonesian election process is traditionally manual, with results tabulated at multiple levels, making the potential for fraud significant. The commission had promised that Sirekap would make the process smoother and more transparent, but it failed to deliver as expected. The app's flaws led to viral posts showing significant vote discrepancies, including a case where presidential frontrunner Prabowo Subianto's votes were grossly inflated in the official count.

The situation sparked lawsuits from the losing presidential candidates. However, the Constitutional Court upheld the election results, recommending improvements and an independent audit of Sirekap. Experts stressed that better training and thorough testing are crucial for successful election technology deployment.

Despite the issues, the election commission plans to use Sirekap in upcoming regional elections to refine the app and its processes. The Indonesian experience underscores the necessity of meticulous preparation and training when integrating new technologies into critical electoral processes.
 
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