Indonesia's Digital Literacy Rate is the Lowest in ASEAN, Only 62%

 

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Senior Economist from INDEF, Aviliani, mentioned that Indonesia's digital literacy rate is only 62%. This figure is the lowest compared to other ASEAN countries, where the average is 70%.

"If we look at Indonesia's digital literacy, it’s only at 62%. In Korea, it’s already at 97%. The average in ASEAN is 70%. So, indeed, our digital literacy level is still low," she explained during the CNBC Indonesia Tech & Telco Outlook 2023 on Tuesday (February 14, 2023).

She further emphasized that there is a need for accelerated efforts to improve digital literacy in Indonesia, both for students and adults. This must be done to help the public avoid all forms of technology-related fraud and to be better prepared to face the increasingly digital future.

"This is what I think needs to be done, so that with the advent of the digital era, we don't end up with significant losses. People fall for bogus investments due to digital means. Then transactions are left behind. Eventually, they are unable to participate in digitalization," she said.

During the same event, Director General of Informatics Applications at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, also mentioned that the digital literacy level of Indonesians is at an average of 3.54 on a scale of 1 to 5. This figure encompasses digital skills, digital safety, digital culture, and digital ethics. According to him, among these four pillars of digital literacy, digital safety is the lowest. This is evident from the high number of people who fall victim to digital crimes.

"This is what we want to push. Our target this year will focus on digital safety. How to be safe when you are online. This is what we want," he stated.

Meanwhile, in efforts to improve digital literacy, Semuel mentioned that cooperation from all parties is needed, starting from the government, the industry sector, and the public as users. Currently, there are more than 120 organizations involved in the National Digital Literacy Movement (GNLD).

"Digital literacy cannot be stopped; it must always keep rolling because there will always be new things that need to be shared with the public. Literacy cannot be the sole responsibility of the government. If digital literacy is successful, industries will have smart consumers. Smart consumers will help grow businesses," Semuel concluded.