Digital literacy is now an essential skill for every individual. Digital literacy is also considered one of the crucial aspects of the curriculum to help people acquire the technical knowledge and skills needed to use digital media appropriately. Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies effectively, efficiently, and critically. Digital literacy includes the ability to use digital devices, digest information, interact digitally (through social media), understand the risks of the digital world, and evaluate, find, utilize, share, and create digital content.
Despite the development of technology and mobile internet, one of the biggest challenges in developing people’s digital literacy skills is limited access. This is due to low economic levels and internet networks that do not reach the areas where people live. With these limitations, it is challenging for the community to develop digital literacy skills, resulting in technological stuttering among them.
The quality of information content on the internet is also a problem. The internet is a wilderness of unfiltered information, which can be both a solution and pollution. This is where people’s critical skills are needed to sort out useful information, evaluate, and use information that suits their needs. With these critical skills, people can avoid negative information, choose the information they need, and increase their maturity when surfing the internet. Maturity in surfing the internet can also help people not to get addicted to the internet and gadgets, and avoid FOMO (fear of missing out), which is the pressure for someone always to follow trends on the internet.
Given the various negatives on the internet, digital literacy skills are key to using the internet in a more useful and dignified manner. Some ways to improve digital literacy include developing critical thinking skills, finding the right information, utilizing social media to learn and collaborate, understanding digital culture, learning and implementing safe internet usage, and continuing to adapt.
By: S. D. Cahyo
