Surfing Without Worries

The internet is increasingly becoming part of human life, including in Indonesia. Not only its rising number, internet users are believed to be getting younger too. Those surfing are getting on the early age.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

A number of youths take part in the "Bandung Anti Hoax" declaration held by the Indonesian Anti-Defamation Society (Mafindo) on a car-free day on Jalan Ir Djuanda, Bandung city, West Java, Sunday (31/3/2019).

Quoting data from the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association, the number of citizens of this country who use the internet, beginning in 2019, was around 171.17 million people. Indonesia\'s population at that time was estimated at 264.16 million. The research report Digital Wellbeing released by Google with the research institute Fluent last year said one in three internet users in Indonesia were children (Kompas, 11/2/2020).

It is even predicted the number of children and teenagers less than 18 years, who know and use the internet, is even greater. The world knows a new generation, Alpha, born after 2010, from an early age comes into contact with information technology, smartphones and of course the internet. They, like those of Generation Z (born 1995-2010), live in "dependence" on the internet and digital technology.

Children and teenagers also realize the many benefits of the internet, which makes life easier. However, as reported by Kompas last Tuesday, 83 percent of parents in Indonesia were worried that their children would be exposed to inappropriate or dangerous content while browsing the internet. They can also be victims of cybercrime.

Parents\' worries are understandable. Crimes related to information and electronic transactions, which use the internet, have been on the rise since 2008. Between 2017 and 2019 alone, 6,895 people were questioned by the police. Crimes dealing with insults to a prominent figure, authority, or public institutions made up 38 percent of the number, followed by the spread of deception (20 percent); hate speech (12 percent); and other actions (30 percent).

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

A pedestrian looks at antihoax campaign murals under the Rawa Buntu overpass in Serpong, South Tangerang, on Monday (11/3/2019).

Worries that children would be exposed to negative content from the internet occur in other countries as well. The European Union campaigned for safe internet use in 2004, which is celebrated as the World Safer Internet Day, every Feb. 11. Now, no less than 160 countries, including Indonesia, jointly commemorate the safe day of the internet. The celebration, held since 2005, is a warning that negative content on the internet does not control global citizens.

In 2020, Google introduced the Tangkas Berinternet (Skillful in surfing on the internet) Program in Indonesia, which encourages children and parents to be smart, careful, tough, wise, and brave in using the internet. There is goodness and convenience on the internet, but there are also dangers. Parents and the public must be wise when surfing, and accompany children properly and appropriately in utilizing technological advancements.

Awareness of using the internet wisely is not only the responsibility of digital-based companies, but also the society and the country. Unfortunately, the positive internet program is not yet a priority of the government. The program is still sporadic, depending on the moment. The internet literacy program has not yet been disseminated through educational institutions and in the community. In reality, it is not only children – even adults want to surf without worries.