Information as a Public Good

Posted by Asia Views | May 4, 2021 | 0 |

Every May 3 since 1991, the world commemorates UNESCO’s Press Freedom Day, calling on governments, the private business sector, civil society and media stakeholders to uphold that one vital ingredient of a true democracy: an active and independent journalism. The call continues to this day but with many adaptations given the complex changes that have taken place over the last three decades, the most impactful being the advent of information technology. There is no question the internet has opened a whole new ecosystem of communication that not only enables easy access to, but also abuse of, information. More than ever, there is an urgent need to uphold the freedom of information by ensuring that it used for the public good.

In no time at all, the ubiquitous handphone became an integral part of people’s lives: a communication tool to send and receive messages, a source of entertainment and a medium of news and information. Employing different online platforms, people can easily upload their messages or reports to be shared by an almost limitless readership. When the term ‘citizen journalism’ first emerged, many interpreted it as the right of anyone to be a journalist and to report what he or she saw fit to share.

Most of those platforms were unlicensed, with little or no obligation to follow rules or accountability. It did not take long for negative elements in our society to abuse this freedom of ‘sharing’ information and consequently wrought havoc and disruption, and in extreme cases, even caused internecine conflicts. It took a while for governments to come up with legal and regulatory measures to rein in such irresponsible reporting and disinformation.

However, many of these measures to control online information have tended to be excessive. One drastic step taken by some frustrated governments has been to impose blackouts on offending websites, or sue critics in court for criminal libel or defamation. As in the past, they often cite national security interests to justify their censorship of online media.

According to the 2021 Reporters Without Borders (RWB) report, an organization monitoring and measuring the level of freedom of expression in 180 countries, the increasing use of excessive measures has seen media freedom deteriorate by 12 percent since the RWB survey was first taken in 2013. Among Southeast Asian countries that are seen to have less freedom of expression are Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Muzzling the press when people are more aware of their rights will surely be a losing proposition, as in the current protests against the military in Myanmar.

But the question still remains: how to uphold press freedom while ensuring safety and stability amid wide disinformation on the internet. Certainly, banning media organizations and blacking out online platforms is not be an option. Disinformation and other media abuses can be combatted by a multi-stakeholder approach. In other words, it’s not just the government that must refrain from arbitrary actions. It is also the responsibility of online media companies to impose their own rules to prevent disinformation and other abuses.

Lastly, while recognizing the benefits of online media, users and consumers must also be aware of their negative impact. To combat disinformation and fake news — and even fake advertising — there must be more literacy campaigns to educate people on the critical importance of the online media and guard against its abuse.

Yuli Ismartono

Journalist

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

Information as a Public Good