Accelerating the Public’s Digital Literacy

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Students use the free Jak WiFi internet facility provided by the Jakarta provincial administration to follow the online distance learning (PJJ) education policy on Wednesday (2/9/2020) at the RT 05/RW 02 community unit hall in Galur subdistrict, Johar Baru district, Central Jakarta.

Scientists all over the globe have predicted that a technological revolution will take place soon, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, it may arrive even sooner. Is Indonesia ready?

In terms of consumption, there is no doubt that the use of digital technology is increasing rapidly. The Kompas daily report, Sunday (21/3/2021), showed that since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, various activities – from office settings to schools – have shifted to online spaces. Older citizens and children have also been forced to use digital technology. Devices such as computers have inevitably become a struggle between fathers, mothers and children. They are needed for everything, from virtual work meetings to online shopping and distance learning.

Also read: Indonesia\'s Challenge: Low Literacy, Breached Privacy

Hootsuite’s annual report on global digital use showed that internet usage in Indonesia as of January 2021 had grown 15.5 percent compared to January 2020. The number of Internet users in Indonesia has also reached 202.6 million, or 73.7 percent of the total population.

Indonesia currently ranks 8th in the world. However, awareness among netizens 18 years and over in Indonesia of misinformation or fake news is also still minimal.

The average daily time spent using internet among Indonesians is 8 hours and 52 minutes, far above the global average of 6 hours and 54 minutes. Indonesia currently ranks 8th in the world. However, awareness among netizens 18 years and over in Indonesia of misinformation or fake news is also still minimal. Indonesia was not even included in the top 40 countries. Thus, the ability to understand and use information from various digital sources is an important parameter related to digital literacy.

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

The home study policy set by the government regarding the covid-19 outbreak was used by Al Azhar 15 Pamulang Elementary School, South Tangerang, Banten to hold online teaching and learning activities, on Tuesday (17/3/2020). Students and teachers utilize the googleclassroom application for study rooms and zoom cloud meetings for teleconferences.

Not long ago, the 2021 Microsoft Digital Civility Index survey also placed Indonesian citizens 29th out of 32 countries, which categorized Indonesian citizens as “disrespectful”. This was suspected to be caused by adult internet behavior (aged 18-74 years). Meanwhile, amid the pandemic, children have to take turns using the laptops of their parents, increasing the likelihood of exposure to various stored content that their parents normally use.

Also read: Opening Schools during the Pandemic

The central and regional governments must hasten to improve digital literacy for netizens, from parents to students. Increasing digital literacy campaigns is as important as campaigns for health protocols against the coronavirus. Without any serious or immediate steps, the consequences will be no less dangerous than a virus attack. All educational institutions and the media need to be involved in this process.

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

A student of SD Al Azhar 15 Pamulang elementary school in South Tangerang, Banten, does an assignment during the online teaching and learning activities introduced by the government due to the Covid-19 outbreak on Tuesday (17/3/2020).

The acceleration of digitalization can go well if balanced with strong digital literacy. However, the opposite can also happen. World historian Yuval Noah Harari is of the view that the information technology revolution, marked by the development of artificial intelligence, can even give birth to a digital dictatorship. Without realizing it, most humans will be subject to the information presented by algorithmic machines. Humans may eventually become mere products and lose their ability to sort and select information that it deems important to their lives.

(This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia).