Dr Sabariah says that many people think that digital literacy only means knowing how to use digital devices and applications. — Unsplash
AS the government moves forward with its plans to expand Internet connectivity to 100% of populated areas in the country through the National Digital Network (Jendela) initiative, it has become more important than ever to talk about digital literacy among the population.
But it turns out that many don’t even know what digital literacy fully encompasses.
Dr Sabariah Mohamed Salleh of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia says the common idea people have about digital literacy is that it refers to knowing how to use digital devices and applications.
While digital literacy does include that, it is also about knowing how to evaluate information shared online and protect yourself while on the Internet.
“When you talk about digital literacy to teachers, a lot of them will talk about the ability to create presentation slides for instance, or the ability to use a word processing application, and so on. Little is said about critical thinking skills,” Sabariah says.
These critical thinking skills are vital in navigating the digital world safely and responsibly.
The reason is simple: People now receive an influx of information, both true and false, because anyone can share whatever they want online, so online users need to be able to evaluate said information.
This type of influx of information is called “information disorder”, says Sabariah, who was part of a team that produced research on how to enhance digital media and information literacy in Malaysia. She presented the research at the recent Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Symposium 2024.
Data shows many Malaysians are exposed to false information through one of the most popular messaging apps in the country, WhatsApp, with 84% receiving unverified information through the app, according to Sabariah.
“If you look at your phone every day, how many forwarded messages do you get in your WhatsApp group?
“Sometimes we share information because we feel that we care, we want people to know, we want to be the first to inform, but this is what contributes to the dissemination of false information.”
The spread of “fake news” has been talked about a lot in the past few years, and the government has taken action to curb this phenomenon through various programmes, especially the Klik Dengan Bijak (KDB) initiative by MCMC.
The KDB initiative was launched to educate and raise public awareness about Internet safety and security, and while Sabariah commends the effort, she says the initiative can be further strengthened through the findings of her team’s research.
“KDB has been very proactive in safeguarding Internet users from online risks and threats, but its current module has primarily taken a reactive approach.”
For example, she says, if there is a lot of public discourse about digital privacy, then only will a module be created to tackle the issue.
“There needs to be a proper plan and framework in order to ensure that KDB can cater to what is important in Malaysia and in our society.”
Through her team’s research, they found topics that should be included are improving digital skills and competencies in areas such as how to utilise online reference materials and evaluate information reliability and credibility; identifying malware, viruses, and cybercrime activities; and being aware of echo chambers.
The public should be educated on digital citizenship and ethics, such as the proper etiquette while online, and social tension and mental health issues stemming from Internet use, among others.
As content creation and sharing is a huge part of interacting on the Internet, it is also important for people to learn about plagiarism, establishing boundaries, hate speech, artificial intelligence-generated content and data privacy.
People also need to be more aware of the regulation and governance of online activities, Sabariah adds.
“It is important for the community to understand and be aware of how regulations and policies are put in place to protect their rights and not to reprimand or control them.”
Other topics that the KDB module should include are collaboration and engagement with other agencies and organisations working on similar digital education initiatives, as well as more targeted awareness and outreach programmes among the public.
Taylor’s University Dr Thanuja Rathakrishnan, who was part of a team investigating the impact of Jendela on the population, says her team also found an ongoing need for digital literacy education.
Aside from implementing tailored digital literacy programmes, Thanuja suggests the government launch multilingual campaigns to educate individuals about the advantages of digital tools and prioritise user-friendly app developments to make them more accessible.
“There is a critical need for a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapidly evolving digital landscape,” Sabariah says.
