Indonesia curbs social media, blaming hoaxes for inflaming unrest

Protesters shout slogans outside the Central Sulawesi General Election Commission (KPU) office in Palu, Indonesia May 22, 2019 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Basri Marzuki/ via REUTERS

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has introduced curbs on social media in a bid to prevent the spread of hoaxes, some calling for violent post-election attacks, and quell two days of protests in the capital.

Fact-checkers say hoaxes and calls for violence on social media networks have spiked since Tuesday when an official election count confirmed President Joko Widodo as the winner, a result contested by his challenger, Prabowo Subianto.