In this digital age, harmful content online, including mis/disinformation and hate speech, poses a significant threat to democracies across the world. Indonesia is no exception, facing the spread of harmful content aimed at sowing confusion, polarization and the stirring of public opinion in ways that can threaten human rights and the integrity of elections. In response to this issue, Wikimedia Indonesia has announced a new training initiative for Wikimedia volunteers, in collaboration with UNESCO Jakarta, as part of the UNESCO EU-funded project ‘Social Media 4 Peace’.
The initiative consists of a series of workshops to strengthen the skills of Wikipedia administrators (trusted Wikimedia volunteers with advanced permission to protect Wikipedia), regional Wikimedia communities and cultural activists to address harmful content, particularly misinformation and hate speech, in line with international standards on freedom of expression,. The collaboration is based on the long-standing relationship between the Wikimedia Foundation and UNESCO Jakarta and their shared vision for open and inclusive knowledge societies.
How will Wikimedia and UNESCO collaborate to tackle this issue?
Following the Presidential Election in February 2024, Indonesian citizens will vote again in November 2024 to elect local leaders. This election will span 38 provinces, 98 cities, and 415 municipalities nationwide. In preparation for the 2024 regional elections, Wikimedia Indonesia and UNESCO Jakarta have developed a comprehensive training program for Wikipedia administrators in 9 indigenous languages as well as Bahasa Indonesia as the national language. These administrators will play a vital role in combating harmful content, exemplifying responsible editing practices, and maintaining the platform’s high standard of information quality.
The training will equip volunteer administrators on Wikipedia with knowledge on international freedom of expression standards as well as strategies to identify credible and trustworthy information online. It will also familiarize administrators with tools for quickly detecting and correcting inaccuracies, particularly within Wikipedia. Additionally, participants will engage in an edit-a-thon to create more articles on mis- and disinformation on the Indonesian language Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects in local languages, helping to increase the public’s knowledge on these topics. A total of 20 Wikipedia project administrators from Indonesian, Acehnese, Balinese, Banjarese, Banyumasan, Batak Toba, Betawi, Buginese, Gorontalo, Javanese, Madurese, Mandailing, Malay, Minangkabau, Nias, Sundanese, and Tetun Wikipedia communities will participate. Organizers will ensure gender balance among the participants.
Once the Wikipedia admin training is complete, Wikimedia Indonesia will extend the program to 16 regional communities of Wikimedia volunteers across various cities in Indonesia. Recognizing the power of culture in conveying messages about combating harmful content, Wikimedia Indonesia and UNESCO Jakarta will also invite cultural activists to join the training. After the program concludes, the participating Wikipedians and cultural activists will have the opportunity to apply for seed funding. This funding can be used to conduct training sessions in their native languages and to perform cultural activities aimed at educating the public on combating harmful content, in line with human rights and based on local context.
Social Media 4 Peace
This collaboration among Wikimedia Indonesia and UNESCO Jakarta is part of the UNESCO EU-funded ‘Social Media 4 Peace’ project, which aims to strengthen society’s resilience against harmful online content while also protecting freedom of expression and promoting peaceful narratives online. The project is piloted in four countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Indonesia, Kenya, and Colombia. By focusing on these diverse regions, the project aims to gather valuable insights and adapt approaches to different cultural and social contexts.
The Social Media 4 Peace project has three main goals: 1) to enhance the understanding of the root causes, scale, and impact of harmful content and to assess the effectiveness of tools to address it in the pilot countries; 2) to improve the ability to curb harmful content online in these regions; and 3) to promote and support peace-building narratives and initiatives through digital technologies and social media. These activities aim to create a safer, more positive online environment that fosters peace and social cohesion.
Wikimedia Indonesia has been chosen by UNESCO as one of the implementation partners for this project in Indonesia. As an implementation partner, Wikimedia Indonesia will play a key role in ensuring the successful execution of the project’s goals within the Wikimedia ecosystem.
Why Indonesia?
Advancements in global digital technology have dramatically increased connectivity. Now, more than two-thirds of the world’s population, over 5.3 billion people, have Internet access, significantly transforming information availability. In Indonesia, this transformation is particularly evident. As of January 2023, social media platforms like Facebook had an impressive 119.9 million Indonesian users. These platforms, with vast content and high user interaction, have become key channels for sharing information. Social media has become highly influential, with many people relying on it as their primary news source.
The digital revolution has also reached Indonesia’s local communities. The widespread use of mobile phones and technological progress has opened diverse information sources for these groups. This trend is particularly evident among younger generations, who increasingly use digital technologies for various purposes. This shift not only underscores the digital world’s growing influence on historically underserved populations but also presents significant empowerment opportunities, warranting further exploration.
However, the same platforms that empower indigenous communities also pose significant and urgent threats, particularly the spread of mis/disinformation and hate speech. Social media, by nature, allows rapid information dissemination, regardless of accuracy. Hateful rhetoric and false information can easily spread online, potentially undermining social cohesion and harming community well-being. Wikipedia, often seen as the ‘last best place on the internet,’ was also targeted by actors who attempted to make unconstructive edits during the 2019 General Election in Indonesia. Immediate action is crucial to address these issues.
Together for Peace
The collaborative effort between Wikimedia Indonesia and UNESCO Jakarta represents a significant step forward in combating harmful content. By leveraging the extensive reach and influence of social media platforms and integrating at once international human rights standards and local cultural perspectives into the training process, this initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of Indonesian society against harmful content. Through comprehensive training programs, targeted strategies, and the involvement of cultural activists, this project ultimately fosters access to accurate information as a public good. As Indonesia prepares for regional elections and continues to navigate the digital age, these efforts will play a crucial role in safeguarding democratic values and promoting a healthier online environment.
This post was created in collaboration with UNESCO Jakarta as part of the #SocialMedia4Peace Project, funded by the European Union.
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