Digital activism and journalism produce content and drive civil society’s moral movement on social change and democratic improvement.
Digital media has the power to inspire and mobilize the public, especially among Generation Z and Generation Alpha, who generally regard social media as their primary source of information.
“In the recent democratic crisis, the repost movement on social media managed to reach 1.7 million people in just one hour,” said Firda Ainun Ula, a gender and democracy activist, during the 15th edition of the Diskoma seminar themed “Reflections on Digital Activism and Journalism in Social Change,” held on Saturday (Sep. 14).
However, movements involving various interest groups should maintain consistency to ensure that social change and democratization progress positively.
Additionally, new challenges continually arise in the digital space, making it essential to establish networks or alliances to safeguard the digital activism environment.
“Equally important is educating the public on social and political issues,” she emphasized.
The discussion, organized by the Master’s Program in Communication Science at UGM, featured several speakers, including Firda Ainun Ula; Raymundus Rikang, a Tempo journalist; and Masduki, a lecturer at UII and Chair of PR2Media.
This discussion on “Reflections on Digital Activism and Journalism in Social Change” responded to the heated democratic situation in Indonesia, particularly concerning the Constitutional Court’s ruling on candidacy regulations in local elections.
Raymundus Rikang highlighted how digital disruption has significantly transformed the print media industry. He noted that print media is increasingly being abandoned as people consume more information online.
A major challenge arises from potential regulations, such as the Broadcasting Bill.
“Such measures could be designed to obstruct journalistic work and restrict press freedom,” he explained.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration between journalists and activists to jointly scrutinize and counter the government’s narratives, particularly concerning issues of information freedom and democracy under pressure.
This discussion forum allowed participants to reflect on the crucial roles of digital activism and journalism in fostering social change in Indonesia, especially amid the current challenging democratic landscape.
The virtual discussion concluded with an exchange of ideas and perspectives from participants with diverse backgrounds. Dr. Rahayu, head of the Master’s Program in Communication Science, noted that the exchange of views and discussions aims to answer how academic integrity can be perceived.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afif