Public Trust in Identifying Hoaxes

Online activities in Indonesia are increasingly diverse, and information exchange is becoming easier. However, the abundance of information also leads to the proliferation of disinformation, including fake news or hoaxes.

In a survey titled "Status Literasi Digital Indonesia 2021" (Status of Digital Literacy in Indonesia 2021), the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) and the Katadata Insight Center (KIC) conducted a study on the experiences and abilities of Indonesian internet users in dealing with hoaxes.

45.5 percent of respondents answered "somewhat unsure" or expressed doubt when asked how confident they were in identifying false or fake news. The second most frequent answer was 26.3 percent, who expressed confidence.

The third most frequent answer (19 percent) was "unsure," followed by 5.3 percent who were very confident, and 3.5 percent who were very unsure. As a result, almost half of the respondents admitted to being hesitant in identifying hoaxes.

Considering these findings, the Director General of Informatics Applications, Kominfo, Semuel A. Pangarepan, stated that digital literacy is key to enabling individuals to use information technology devices effectively and behave wisely in the digital space.

"Digital literacy can address problems arising from a lack of understanding of what the digital space is and how to behave within it," he said during a Siberkreasi Hangout Online webinar on Saturday, January 16, 2021.

To avoid hoaxes, the public needs to verify information received. Several internet features can be used to verify news. First, the Google News feature allows users to input the news they want to check into the search bar.

Second, Fact Check Tools can be used to determine the truthfulness of a topic. Third, websites such as Snopes.com and Google Fact Check Explorer can be utilized.