An Exemplary in Digital Environment

Everything that happens virtually reflects the real world. Indonesia’s civility in the virtual world is still low, reflecting our problematic real world.

Annual research conducted by Microsoft about interaction among internet users, titled “Digital civility index (DCI)” was announced this month. The research surveyed 16,000 respondents from 32 countries in April to May last year. According to the survey, Indonesia ranks 29th with an overall score of 76.

Factors that contribute to Indonesia’s low DCI score are hoaxes and scams (47 percent), hate speech (27 percent) and discrimination (13 percent). Indonesia’s rank is only better than Mexico, Russia and South Africa, and far behind Singapore, Taiwan, and Australia.

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Microsoft’s research shows how netizens across the surveyed countries treat and respect each other in the virtual world. We must admit that our interactions in the virtual world require improvement before we have the opportunity to do better.

Kompas/Alif Ichwan

A number of activists of the Anti-Defamation Society of Indonesian (Mafindo) carry pamphlets to remind the public about fake news or hoaxes along a pedestrian area during a car-free day in Jakarta, Sunday (12/2). Coming into the regional elections cooling-off period, it is hoped that the people are not provoked by fake news or hoaxes.

Digital technology has penetrated the life of our citizens too fast beyond their capacity to under-stand the new technology. This technology also penetrates all aspects of our life massively without us having the time to consider its positive and negative influences. The hate speech algorithm em-ployed during the 2014 presidential election, the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, as well as the 2019 presidential election has poisoned our interactions in the virtual world further.

We have reached the nadir of our virtual interactions. Other countries, like India, have experienced an improvement in virtual interactions.

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Microsoft’s research should be used as a basis for our first step in mending the current condition. The research shows that we need to bring in the social norms and standard of interactions from our real world into our virtual world.

If the situation is not fixed, the growing conflict and division will ab-sorb all of our energy that, instead, can be used to develop our country together.

We also need to improve our interactions in the virtual world because it will create a great risk for our country if we leave it unattended. The risk include growing conflict among fellow citizens as well as division in our community. If the situation is not fixed, the growing conflict and division will ab-sorb all of our energy that, instead, can be used to develop our country together.

Reflecting on our culture, we need an exemplary more than regulations. We need influential people to restore our virtual interactions.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Young people join the Bandung Anti Hoaks (Bandung Against Hoaxes) declaration organized by the Indonesian Anti-Libel Society (Mafindo) during Car Free Day on Jl. Ir Djuanda, Bandung, West Java, on March 31, 2019 (31/3/2019).

Some experts say the way to do it includes reducing misunderstanding during our interactions, im-proving constructive talks and promoting positive influences. If we cannot do that, we should learn from our children, as they – according to the survey – have better virtual interactions.

(This article was translated by Lionel Priyadi)