ALSA 2025 meeting

Despite Indonesia’s formal regulatory framework banning tobacco and electronic cigarette advertisements on digital social media platforms, enforcement remains weak. This paper examines how the Free Net From Tobacco (FNFT) coalition, a grassroots digital advocacy movement, mobilizes community action to influence policy change within Indonesia’s evolving tobacco control landscape. Employing a qualitative case study approach and community-based storytelling, the study draws on multiple data sources: regulatory document analysis (Health Law No. 17/2023, PP No. 28/2024, and the ITE Law), observational data from ministerial-level meetings with the Ministry of Health and Kominfo, online petition documentation, policy briefs, and citizen-reported monitoring data on digital tobacco advertisements. Data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Findings reveal three major advocacy strategies. First, digital platform mobilization, where FNFT utilizes Instagram to engage the public, disseminate anti-tobacco narratives, and collaborate with CSOs and academic institutions to broaden message reach. Second, strategic coalition building, as FNFT partners with public health NGOs, academic networks like Universitas Siber Muhammadiyah’s Tobacco Control Unit, and legal advocacy groups such as PBHI Indonesia to strengthen policy communication and advocacy impact. Third, media engagement as a pressure tool, where FNFT organizes media briefings involving journalists, influencers, and policymakers to generate public discourse and accountability regarding the enforcement of digital tobacco advertising bans. This study underscores the critical role of grassroots digital advocacy in shaping tobacco control policy agendas in Indonesia, especially in contexts where political commitment to regulation remains fragile. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of how community movements leverage digital tools, multi-sectoral partnerships, and media framing to bridge the gap between regulation and enforcement in public health governance.