Fighting Hoax News, UMM Students Provide Education to the Community through PMM
Friday, March 19, 2021 18:46 WIB
Malang (19/3) - Students of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) who are part of the second batch of 36 Community Service by Students (PMM) program, consisting of 5 people, namely Dandi Juliantara, Glenn Maulana Adhiyaksa, Fernanda Deny Setiawan, Rida Apriliani Putri, and Sena Putri Bengi held a socialization at the Tegalgondo Village Office, Karangploso District, Malang Regency on Wednesday (17/03/2021)
Group of 36 since the end of February 2021 has started PMM activities in Tegalgondo Village, Karangploso District, Malang Regency for the next one month. For a month the group was accompanied by Field Supervisor (DPL) Sholahuddin Al-Fatih, S.H., M.H.
To provide knowledge and understanding as well as provision for the community, 2nd Wave UMM PMM Students Group 36 held a Socialization with the theme "Wise to Avoid Hoaxes in the Era of Globalization". The thematic socialization was attended by the Head of Tegalgondo Village, the Secretary of the Village of Tegalgondo, and a Representative from the UMM PMM Partners Group of 36 Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) Tegal Arum.
The socialization activity is a form of UMM student attention to educate the public on how to filter hoax news that we often encounter on social media. Not just an ordinary socialization, this time UMM students invited speakers from the Head of the Non-Litigation Division of the Legal Aid for Justice Fighters in Malang City, Dimas Fandikha Satria and the panel of priests Nanda Melinia Safitri. The socialization activity is one of the Group 36 work programs for the next month from various work programs to be implemented, as a form of dedication to the community.
"We deliberately chose the theme about hoaxes because in the current era of globalization, everyone must have at least one social media and currently the spread of hoaxes is increasingly prevalent. The 2017 Mastel survey revealed that people receive hoaxes every day more than once. The most widely used channel in spreading hoaxes is social media, ”said Rida as Public Relations of Group 36 PMM UMM
The hoax phenomenon in Indonesia raises doubts about the information received and confuses the public. This is used by irresponsible parties to instill slander and hatred.
Hoax news or fake news has recently been rampant in the country. The presence of hoax news certainly makes the central and regional governments work together on how to eradicate hoax news which has the implication of dividing the Unitary State of Indonesia.
Political motives are very thick in this hoax case and usually there is an objective to overthrow the government that was in power at that time. Rida also added that hoaxes that are spread repeatedly through social media can form public opinion that the news is true. There are three important approaches to anticipating the spread of hoaxes in society, namely institutional approaches, technology and literacy.
One way, the government blocks sites that spread hoax news, besides that the government through the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo) eradicates hoax news by cooperating with several social networking companies such as Facebook and Twitter, which have the potential to be misused to spread hoax news by people who not responsible.
"In eradicating hoax news, the government cannot work alone. Therefore, the government is also considered to need to collaborate with the public to participate in fighting the spread of hoax news with education and socialization. We are here as students from UMM ready to devote ourselves to society because the true role and function of students are as agents of change. With this education and outreach, students can change society to be wise in consuming the news and spreading it, ”continued Rida
In addition to conveying the dangers of hoax news to the public, the presenters also conveyed about the threat of criminal punishment spreading hoax news and did not escape also providing understanding to the public how to find out whether the news was true or not by checking the news link in question.
"We also have to highlight the system and means of public complaints for hoax news. In my opinion, nowadays people need an application or a way to make it easier for the public to report hoax spreading sites, "said Dimas as the presenter.
Even though in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic which is still ongoing, it did not discourage Group 36 PMM UMM students to continue to provide education to the public to fight hoax news. However, that is why education and outreach need to be maximally encouraged and of course it must still apply health protocols (glenn / cr).