Indonesia Encourages ASEAN Collaboration in Combating Fake News

Jakarta, InfoPublik – The Ministry of Communications and Informatics (MCI) of the Republic of Indonesia encouraged ASEAN members to collaborate against hoaxes and disinformation related to government information.

“I believe that government information must be managed properly and appropriately. It becomes a solution to fight against and manage disinformation and fake news circulating in the ASEAN community,” said the Head of the Center for International Institutions of the MCI’s General Secretariat, Ichwan Nasution, in the ASEAN Workshop on Guideline on Management of Government Information in Combating Fake News and Disinformation in Media at Borobudur Hotel, Jakarta, on Thursday (Mar. 2).

Ichwan said that hoaxes and disinformation have become major issues in the world, including in ASEAN countries, in line with the increase in internet speed and utilization of information technology in various sectors.

It is deemed the most crucial issue because information on government programs and policies is often targeted or twisted by irresponsible parties in social media.

“Therefore, Indonesia humbly leads the project to develop the Guideline on Management of Government Information in Combating Fake News and Disinformation in Media,” Ichwan said.

He expected the workshop participants can utilize strategies to manage fake news and disinformation, government data, and public opinion along with providing and disseminating information to the public.

“Today’s workshop will become a part of the guideline implementation to encourage the sharing of knowledge and experience among ASEAN member countries,” he said.

Director General of Public Information and Communications of the MCI, Usman Kansong, said that the Indonesian government pays special attention to the spread of hoaxes and disinformation related to government information.

This is based on Indonesia’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic when the government was attacked by numerous misleading issues and hoaxes, starting from the issues of vaccines, and virus variants, to religion by irresponsible parties.

In addition, hoaxes and disinformation have caused social polarization and disharmony during the General Elections (Pemilu) years of 2014 and 2019 which threatened the nation’s unity.

“(Through this workshop) the MCI would like to share its experience with ASEAN member countries on measures that can be taken to create effective and responses messages, and how to recognize and detect fake news sites and identify disinformation,” Usman Kansong said.

The workshop held by the MCI is expected to have an impact on the creation of a better region along with strengthening the capacity and capability of countries in detecting and responding to fake news and disinformation.

Photo: Amiri Yandi/InfoPublik

Reporter: Wahyu Sudoyo
Editor: Untung Sutomo
Translator: Wisnu Wardoyo