Strengthening the Fortress of the Younger Generation
We must improve the critical awareness of the younger generation when using social media.
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Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Senior high school and vocational high school students pose for a photo at the closing event of the #1nDONEsia program: Smart on Social Media at Plaza UOB, Jakarta, Friday (8/12). The students were awarded for creating the best videos in a program under the auspices of the global YouTube Creators for Change initiative, which aims to empower youths through the creation of videos that promote values of tolerance and diversity.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Indonesia needs to continue developing a fortress for the younger generation to protect them from internet exposure that contains negative content and has the potential to divide the nation. Thus, we must improve the critical awareness of the younger generation when using social media, mainly to strengthen nationalism, unity and humanitarian values.
The issue was raised during the #1nDONEsia Smart in Using Social Media program on Friday in Jakarta. The program, which provided training on positive video content to over 2,000 high school students in 10 cities across Indonesia was organized by YouTube and the Maarif Institute with the support of the Information and Communications Ministry, the Education and Culture Ministry and the National Police.
Information and Communications Ministry Director General for Informatics Application Semuel Abrijani said social media users in Indonesia, who amount to 106 million people, were exposed to social media for three and a quarter hours a day while internet exposure is around eight hours and 44 minutes a day.
An international study shows Indonesian people still trust information from the internet.
“The impact of internet technology without literacy must be monitored. Thus, digital-literacy education must be jointly driven by the community. At Siber Kreasi, there are around 60 organizations that join the advocacy to boost public literacy,” Semuel said.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said social media opened room for democracy but it also threatened democracy. The National Police cooperates with the public to develop awareness on how to use social media wisely.
Maarif Institute executive director M Abdullah Darraz said all parties must play a role in developing a fortress for the younger generation to protect them from radicalism and hate speech on social media. “Social media must be utilized to infuse national values, ‘Bhinneka Tunggal Ika’ and tolerance,” said Darraz.
Positive video content-training for younger people, who are familiar with the digital world, Darraz said, would contribute to influencing perception and beliefs among the youth. “From our survey, more than 40 percent of the younger generation believes positive content on social media can block negative content. This influence must be empowered,” he said.
