Indonesian creators, including a West Java woman identified under the changed name Adira, are posting political images and questions in Facebook groups linked to Australian and US politics as they pursue money from Meta’s creator program, The Guardian reports.
Adira says she does not follow overseas politics or receive campaign instructions. Instead, she and other Indonesian creators share advice about groups where posts may attract more engagement and therefore better returns.
A network built around engagement
Adira posts in groups including Team Pauline Hanson, which has almost 26,000 members, as well as groups focused on Charlie Kirk, JD Vance and Pete Hegseth. She also posts AI-generated images, including one showing a child in a hijab holding a sign about serving bacon in schools with Muslim students present.
She says Indonesian creators exchange advice in Facebook and WhatsApp groups. Some groups have leaders who provide images, videos and suggestions about where to post, while Facebook’s own recommendations also direct creators toward other groups. Adira did not answer questions about who those leaders are or who they may work for.
What the posts reveal about political groups
The Guardian reported in June that some of the largest One Nation supporter groups on Facebook appeared to be run by and populated with overseas creators who monetise content, many of them based in Indonesia. Adira’s account is among the most prolific in one of the largest groups, according to the report.
Adira said overseas creators can attract suspicion from group members. In July, she posted in Team Pauline Hanson about a Muslim woman leaving the US because of Donald Trump’s alleged hostility toward Muslims, rather than content tailored to an Australian audience. The group was founded in April and presents itself as a space for people who admire Pauline Hanson’s leadership and vision.
The wider Indonesian “buzzer” economy
The activity is part of Indonesia’s “buzzer” economy, a term used for accounts that amplify social-media messages, often while concealing financial incentives. Associate Professor Ross Tapsell of the Australian National University said the term describes many small accounts creating a larger online noise. The network can include creators seeking clicks, accounts linked to advertising companies or political parties, and state-sponsored actors.
Associate Professor Angtyasti Jiwasiddi has described the work as accessible to economically vulnerable people because it requires little beyond a mobile phone and several accounts. Queensland University of Technology researcher Timothy Graham said Meta’s payment structure for engagement helps create the incentive. Meta said it paid nearly US$3 billion to creators for reels, photos and text posts in 2025.
Meta suspends some Hanson groups
Meta did not respond to the Guardian’s questions about the report. The company said seven of the 14 Hanson support groups previously identified in the Guardian’s investigation had been suspended for violating its policies.
Adira said she is not paid by an agency and has no stated intention to support either the political right or left. Her account, she said, is focused on earning dollars, even though she knows little about the countries and politicians featured in the groups.
No comments yet. Start the discussion.