Visual accountability and digital populism: the “digital ombudsman” model in hypermedia-based governance
Frontiers in Political Science, cilt.8, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 8
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.3389/fpos.2026.1816617
- Dergi Adı: Frontiers in Political Science
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Political Science Complete, Directory of Open Access Journals, Political Science Abstract (IPSA)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: armuji, digital ombudsman, digital populism, hypermedia, netnography, political branding, Suroboyoan dialect, visual accountability
- İnönü Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background – Hypermedia transforms local political communication into interactive capital branding. In Indonesia, local figures use YouTube to bypass bureaucracy. Objective – This study investigates the “Digital Ombudsman” model of the Surabaya Vice Mayor through Armuji's YouTube channel (@Cakj1). The concepts of digital conflict mediation and the creation of visual accountability are examined. Methodology – This study employs qualitative netnography with a critical discourse analysis (CDA) lens. Five of the most commented-on videos (N = 5) for 2023–2026 were purposively sampled to understand the intersection of linguistic capital and digital populism. Results – Armuji constructs a “Digital Ombudsman” by appropriating the Cak identity and Suroboyoan dialect. His interventions create “visual accountability, ” through which viral evidentiality and evidence reduce deliberation to problem-solving action. Conclusion – We contend that this model constitutes a politics of “digital populism, ” where performative justice is offered in exchange for political legitimacy; therefore, we propose a strategic framework for hybrid governance.