Hoaxes Not Only Political Affairs, The World Of Health Is Also Marak

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

JAKARTA - The public needs to know and must always be aware of negative content such as hoaxes about health information circulating in the digital space.

"On the other hand, we need to watch out for the proliferation of negative content, one of which is hoaxes, including in the world of health," said Lecturer of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Bevaola Kusumasari in a press release received on Saturday, September 10.

This was conveyed in a webinar themed "Beware of Health Information Hoaxes in the Digital Room" organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information with the Cybercreated National Literacy Movement (GNLD) in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Bevaola said most people today cannot be separated from the internet in carrying out their daily activities. For this reason, digital literacy is needed, including digital culture.

He invites people to use the internet for positive things, kindness, and achievements. In the world of health, digital transformation also provides many benefits, ranging from accessing information, insurance, to telemedicine.

However, he said, it is undeniable that hoaxes about health information are still often found in the digital space. Therefore, it takes the ability to recognize these hoaxes.

"To be able to recognize hoaxes, we can check facts, look for photos on Google, be careful with provocative titles, and identify who spreads or continues messages. We need to be digital, understand digital culture, understand other people's culture, not just from our glasses," Bevaola said as quoted by Antara.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Indonesian ICT Volunteers Fajar Eri Dianto said that hoaxes in the world of health can be caught using the Electronic Information and Transactions Act.

Fajar also gave several tips so that people can safely upload, comment, or spread information in the digital space.

"First, the information must be correct. accompanied by evidence. Understand the consequences. Know whether this information is useful and important to disseminate. And whether it must be disseminated now. Finally, we must be responsible for what we convey," he said.

The National Digital Literacy Movement Program by the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information is expected to encourage people to use the internet intelligently, positively, creatively, and productively.

This activity is specifically aimed at communities in the Sulawesi region and its surroundings that aim not only to create a Smart Community, but also to help prepare superior human resources for using the internet positively, critically, and creatively in the industrial era 4.0.

The Ministry of Communication and Information of the Republic of Indonesia together with the Cybercreation GNLD also continues to carry out the Indonesia Makin Digital Cap program through digital literacy activities that are tailored to the needs of the community.

To participate in existing activities, the public can access digital.id information or social media @Kemenkominfo and @Siberkreasi.