Minister of Communication and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia, Budi Arie Setiadi, in a Public Lecture and Inauguration of the “Cerdik” Program Trainer at Universitas Indonesia (UI), emphasized the importance of digital literacy to face increasing cyber threats. The event, which was held on Monday morning, October 7, at the Auditorium of Building 1, Faculty of Humanities (FIB) UI, UI Depok Campus, highlighted the various challenges faced by internet users, especially the younger generation.
“Like a double-edged sword, the internet also brings threats to its users. Some of the challenges include the threat of cybercrime, violation of privacy, hacking, theft of personal data, and the spread of disinformation,” said Budi Arie, reminding of the importance of awareness of these threats. With the number of social media users in Indonesia continuing to grow to 139 million people by early 2024, these threats are increasingly relevant, especially for teenagers under the age of 18.
Furthermore, Budi Arie explained that the younger age group is very vulnerable to the dangers of negative content in cyberspace. “The young generation is a category that is vulnerable to negative content, cyberbullying, and online exploitation. Research shows that in one year there are around 500,000 children in Indonesia who become victims of sexual and mistreatment on the internet,” he said, inviting participants to help protect the young generation from this danger.
On the same occasion, UI through the Pusat Penelitian Kemasyarakatan dan Budaya (PPKB) (Center for Community and Cultural Research) introduced the “Cerdik” program, a digital literacy program that aims to educate and equip the community, including teachers and students, with comprehensive digital skills. Dean of FIB UI, Dr. Bondan Kanumoyoso, S.S., M.Hum., stated that digital literacy is not just technical skills, but also includes critical skills in using technology for effective communication.
“Digital literacy is not just the ability to use technological devices, but also includes the ability to search, evaluate, use, create, and communicate effectively using digital technology. In the information era like today, digital literacy is a must for every individual, including educators,” said Dr. Bondan, emphasizing the important role of digital literacy for every individual.
The program also introduced the “Cerdik” Training of Trainer (ToT) training for participants from the Jabodetabek area and UI students who are members of the Fact Checker Student Activity Unit. Head of PPKB FIB UI, Lily Tjahjandarie, Ph.D., added that this program is a significant step in preparing a wise society in the digital world. “The ‘Cerdik’ program is expected to be an important milestone in building a society that is more sensitive to digital and information issues,” she said.
With the launch of this program, UI is committed to continuing to support the development of digital literacy, which is expected to create a generation that is smart and wise in responding to information in the digital era.
About PPKB FIB UI:
Pusat Penelitian Kemasyarakatan dan Budaya (PPKB) (Center for Community and Cultural Research) FIB UI is a research unit at the Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia which is engaged in various fields of social and cultural studies. PPKB activities include research, training, seminars, and publications involving various disciplines, such as sociology, anthropology, history, and others.
