Digital Consumption Patterns: A Case Study of Dirty Vote Movie

The release of the documentary film Dirty Vote just days before the 2024 Indonesian election triggered intense digital consumption and debate. The film, which exposes political narratives and alleged electoral controversies, rapidly drew over 6 million views and more than 50,000 YouTube comments within hours, while social media feeds filled with reaction videos and mainstream news coverage that further amplified discussion. Analysis of 88,380 YouTube comments reveals distinct topics and sentiments in viewers’ responses, illuminating patterns of digital consumption and public engagement with highly politicized content. The findings highlight how contentious audiovisual material can catalyze large-scale online deliberation and polarization, and offer insights for researchers, policymakers, and media practitioners seeking to understand and regulate digital engagement and political discourse in online spaces.