People are now entering the advanced era of globalization, which also at the same time globalization has a strong relation to global networks. Today, people can have free access to even limited information in this world. The limited information could contain either positive or negative content. People may get beneficial values from the positive contents themselves. However, there has been no control on the negative contents during this time.
To handle uncontrolled access to the negative contents, Indonesian National Police (POLRI) has begun to establish a virtual police program to monitor cyberspace information, including social media. Novi Kurnia as an expert of Digital Literacy from UGM, considered this as a good effort. Still, POLRI needs to consider some aspects such as position, process, transparency, personal data protection, and digital user rights to collaborate with content moderation in implementing it.
“This Virtual Police as a moderating action is quite good. However, some notes must be considered, such as a position to maintain neutrality, objectivity, and justice. Don’t continue to be interventive,” said the lecturer at the Department of Communication, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM, on Friday (26/2).
She admitted that she has no clue how this program is going to work. However, she expected that later Virtual Police would be neutral in carrying out its duty.
Regarding the tracking process, there should be systemic tracking in accordance with each social media platform. Besides, sample stipulation should also be as clear as possible whether it will use the sampling or census technique. This compatibility aspect also applies to the tracking method, whether it uses partial or total methods.
There should also be education and publication to the community regarding the type of negative content that leads to criminality to meet the transparency aspect.
“There should be disclosures to the users regarding the contents that are considered negative,” she stated.
She also added that Virtual Police establishments should keep and protect the users’ privacy that covers security guard warranty and mitigation against leakage of personal data. Besides, community aspiration is also necessary to support this program establishment so that their standpoints in social media will not be limited.
“This model is a kind of warning system if in the process the users will obtain rights before and after being monitored,” said the Coordinator of the Network for Digital Literacy Activists (Japelidi).
Lastly, regarding the collaboration aspect of content moderation in social media, experts’ role is important to review this Virtual Police.
“However, it is not only POLRI who have the responsibility to realize the Virtual Police. There should also be collaboration from several parties, including educational institutions, community, and digital literacy activists, especially in increasing the digital literacy competence of the Indonesian citizens,” she explained.
Author: Ika
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Translator: Natasa