Google Is Ready To Disburse IDR 11.7 Billion To Eradicate Hoaxes In Indonesia

Google Indonesia (Tachta Citra Elfira.VOI)

JAKARTA - Through the philanthropic organization Google.org announced a grant of 800,000 US dollars or around Rp. 11.7 billion to support various media literacy programs. This includes digital training in an effort to eradicate hoaxes and misinformation in Indonesian society.

The grant was executed by the Indonesian Anti-Defamation Society (MAFINDO) and the non-profit MAARIF Institute, together with the social change agency Love Frenkie, through the Tular Nalar program.

"This year we are proud to announce the fourth grant of MAFINDO and MAARIF Institute in the amount of USD 800,000 to provide solutions and help more than 26,700 lecturers and teachers and students to be resilient to misinformation and disinformation through media and digital literacy education," said Head of Public Affairs Southeast. Asia Google APAC, Ryan Rahardjo, as quoted from Antara, Monday, October 26.

Ryan said that fighting misinformation, hate speech, intolerance, fabricated information and hoaxes continues to be an important challenge to deal with, especially in approaching regional head elections or Pilkada which will be held simultaneously in December.

The Tular Nalar program which was formed by Google.org and also executed by the MAARIF Institute, MAFINDO, and Love Frenkie, Ryan explained, focuses on learning materials to hone critical thinking.

"This is also formed for lecturers, teachers and students in facing the challenges they face in the learning environment," said Ryan.

Google has also formed a site of Tular Reason, Ryan continued, which will be accessible in January 2021, especially for people who cannot participate in virtual training.

"We hope that through this program the teachers will receive additional teaching materials and also the support they need to continue to transmit positive things to students in Indonesia," said Ryan.

"In this case, the way to overcome misinformation and disinformation is that all Indonesian students and society in general can become responsible digital citizens," he added.

The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Muhadjir Effendy, said fighting misinformation, hate speech, intolerance, fabricated information and hoaxes continues to be an important challenge to deal with, especially as we approach the period of regional head elections which will be held simultaneously in December. 2020.

🚨 Watch the fourth #GoogleforMedia webinar with the theme “Strengthening democracy through informed journalists and citizens” with @narasitv @TurnBackHoax, AMSI, @AJIIndonesia @maarifinstitute, today, at 13-15 WIB at ➡️ https://t.co/K2TawVvIqf pic .twitter.com / pmJV1122tY

- Google Indonesia (@Google_IDN) October 26, 2020

The Indonesian government welcomes the fourth grant given by Google.org to support various local information, including fact checkers, digital literacy communities and community social institutions that share the same vision, namely to combat misinformation through a program called Tular Nalar.

"I hope this program will provide solutions and help lecturers, teachers and students to have resistance to misinformation and disinformation through media and digital literacy programs," he said.

The program managed by the MAARIF Institute, MAFINDO and Love Frankie, will collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Religion, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, the central leadership of Muhammadiyah and ASPIKOM.

"With the rapid spread of information in this digital era, let us work together to eradicate hoaxes by creating more critical and knowledgeable citizens in Indonesia," said Minister Muhadijir.