Public Trust and Social Polarization in the Digital Age: Sociological Perspectives on Policy Contestation in Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meal Program

Abstract

Public trust in welfare policies depends partly on how implementation and institutional accountability are represented in public discourse. This study examines digital polarization, representations of public trust, and policy contestation surrounding Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG). Using qualitative library research and content analysis, it analyzes secondary materials, including policy documents, government statements, credible news reports, and relevant academic literature. The findings identify three interconnected patterns: competing digital narratives surrounding program evaluation, trust-related discourse shaped by implementation concerns such as food safety and transparency, and broader contestation over accountability and policy legitimacy. These patterns indicate that public debate extends beyond nutritional objectives to questions of institutional credibility and governance. The study contributes an interpretive framework connecting public trust, digital communication, and policy legitimacy through sociological perspectives on the public sphere and network society. It recommends transparent implementation reporting, timely evidence-based communication, and accessible public participation. Because the analysis relies on documentary sources, it does not establish actual trust levels or causal media effects.