In the heart of Indonesia, the spread of hoaxes had become an insidious force, eroding trust and sowing confusion. Schools lacked the tools to counteract these digital deceptions, and the need for a robust educational response was urgent. We recognized this challenge and embarked on a mission to arm the nation's educators and students with the knowledge and resilience needed to combat misinformation.
We began by diving deep into the issue, conducting surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. This thorough formative research helped us understand the landscape and tailor our approach. The program kicked off with training for over 1,400 university lecturers, empowering them to spread digital literacy to more than 20,000 students. High school teachers, too, became warriors in this battle, with 7,500 trained to fend off misinformation. To reach those in remote areas, we teamed up with the Indonesia Radio Community Network (JRKI), broadcasting crucial messages to over 5,000 listeners. This multi-faceted approach ensured no stone was left unturned.
The results were transformative. Lecturers and teachers took their newfound knowledge into classrooms across 291 universities, fostering a new generation of digitally literate citizens. In regions where the internet was sparse, radio waves carried the message, creating a nationwide network of informed individuals ready to tackle misinformation head-on.
As Indonesia prepared for its elections, a new challenge emerged: 14 million first-time voters were being targeted by misinformation and hate speech. This demographic, along with elderly citizens, found themselves particularly vulnerable to manipulation. The integrity of the democratic process was at stake, and the need for action was clear.
Tular Nalar, a collaboration between Mafindo, Love Frankie, and supported by Google.org, stepped in with a groundbreaking approach. We initiated the campaign with thorough research to identify knowledge gaps and barriers. Armed with this insight, we designed an innovative pre-bunking curriculum aimed at first-time voters and the elderly.
The curriculum was rolled out through Sekolah Kebangsaan classes and Academy Digital Lansia training across 38 provinces. In partnership with Ruang Guru, we developed an online module to extend our reach even further. To amplify our message, we launched the "Gen-Z Bisa Milih" social media campaign and worked with local stakeholders to reach those in internet-limited areas.
The campaign's impact was far-reaching. We trained over 140,000 first-time voters, 10,000 elderly people, and 500 high school teachers. These individuals, in turn, educated 1.6 million students and elderly citizens across the nation. The movement we started was not just about countering misinformation for one election cycle but about instilling a lifelong skill set in digital literacy and critical thinking.
