Digital literacy urged in Indonesia to combat hoaxes and misinformation

Public figures and organizations in Indonesia are calling for increased digital literacy to combat the spread of hoaxes and misinformation in the post-truth era. During a focus group discussion in Semarang, Setiawan Hendra Kelana, Chairman of PWI Central Java, emphasized that users must act ethically and consciously when sharing content. He warned against misleading information, such as decontextualization—where old photos or videos are used to misrepresent current events—and content generated by artificial intelligence.

In West Java, Sidkon Djampi, a member of the DPRD, highlighted the challenges of an era where personal emotions and opinions often outweigh objective facts. He urged the public to remain critical and verify the credibility of sources, noting that information repeated frequently on social media is not inherently true. Both discussions underscored the need for families, educational institutions, and the government to collaborate in building a more responsible digital society.