MWCNU Kraksaan Holds National Seminar ‘Verify Before Sharing’ to Enhance Digital Literacy Among Youth in Countering Hoaxes

On Saturday, October 26, 2024, the Nahdlatul Ulama Branch Representative Council is Institute for Publication and Broadcasting (LTN MWCNU) in Kraksaan held a national seminar titled, Verify Before Sharing, NU is Literacy for Anti-Hoax, at the MWCNU Kraksaan office. This seminar, a part of a strategic partnership with the Graduate Program of Nurul Jadid University (UNUJA), aimed to equip the younger generation with the skills to filter information amidst the overwhelming flow of digital content, including hoaxes that could disrupt social harmony.

The event, hosted at the MWCNU Kraksaan office, was attended by several prominent figures, including Rois Suriah H. Ahmad Haidlori, M.Pd.I., the entire MWCNU Kraksaan management, and members of NU-affiliated communities such as Muslimat, IPPNU, and Fatayat. The young participants, as the primary audience, showed great enthusiasm and awareness of the importance of digital literacy to counteract false information or hoaxes that frequently infiltrate social media, shaking societal harmony.

UNUJA’s Vice Rector III, Dr. H. Hasan Baharun, M.Pd., opened the event with a profound message about social media as a double-edged sword. Social media can be a source of vast knowledge and insight, yet it can also become a breeding ground for hoaxes if we are not cautious. Caution on social media is now a necessity. Every young person needs to understand the impact of each click and ‘share’ they make, Dr. Hasan explained, urging participants to be wise and responsible in using social media.

The main speaker, Ahmad Sahidah, Ph.D., a lecturer and digital literacy expert, elaborated on the crucial role of tabayyun or information verification in today’s digital era. Dr. Ahmad emphasized that the younger generation is at the forefront of safeguarding the truth in the digital world. Young people must be the gatekeepers of information. The concept of tabayyun that NU teaches is our way of preventing social conflicts caused by hoaxes. By verifying information, we help maintain social stability and increase public trust, he stated.

Through concrete explanations accompanied by real-life examples, Dr. Ahmad highlighted how hoaxes can erode public trust and create divisions among communities. He also stressed that digital literacy is a tangible way for young people to contribute to creating a harmonious society. In the digital era, literacy is a significant contribution to maintaining unity and peace within our diversity, Dr. Ahmad added.

The seminar participants were active in the Q&A session, showing interest and determination to participate in the anti-hoax movement. They expressed hope that this seminar would be the start of broader educational efforts to enhance digital literacy, especially among young people. This event was expected to foster awareness among young generations of the importance of verifying every piece of information they receive and share.

LTN MWCNU Kraksaan and UNUJA are committed to continuing similar educational programs focused on digital literacy and information verification. It is hoped that these activities will create a smarter, wiser generation that values truth in information and strengthens social solidarity amid the growing challenges of digitalization.