“Indonesia’s independence gained by struggle and sacrifice, should be filled with fighting against hoaxes and not producing hoaks. Instead of spreading and creating hoaks, which ultimately divided the beautiful diversity that had existed in Indonesia since time immemorial. Children these days are starting to dare to sow the seeds of spreading hoaks. Because on average they become active users of the internet, “said one of my colleagues who are now starting to become active in the campaign against hoaks in the community. This is a problem that all parents must think about, that producing / spreading hoaks is a negative action that reflects the disrespect for independence that has been championed. Parents must be able to set an example, how to fill independence wisely. Because of the spirit of independence and culture against hoaks, it is first learned by children at home, from direct parents.
If parents do not apply the pattern of life against hoaks early on, then the children who are in the family, will also inherit the negative culture. And vice versa, if parents teach early patterns of life against hoaks, then children will do the same thing, and will eventually take root in themselves until it becomes a habit until adulthood. The more parents who are aware of and understand the benefits of fighting hoaxes and applying them, the more young people will emulate and apply this positive culture.
As parents, we need to understand the impact that will be caused by hoaks. Such as harming a party, giving a bad reputation to someone / something, spreading slander, spreading misinformation, triggering divisions, wasting time and money, public fraud, and triggering public panic. This certainly directly affects the psychological community, which makes us generally no longer believe in a fact that is presented. Because hoaks have penetrated a person’s subconscious to not easily believe a fact, to cause uncertainty.
Another ironic fact is as stated by Academician Komarudin Hidayat (former Chancellor of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta) in www.kominfo.go.id. That the scourge of spreading hoax or hoax is like the circulation of narcotics and pornography. If left unchecked, he said, hoax news could endanger and harm the community. Hoaks included in criminal acts in this cyber area, is a combination of manipulation, lies, and cheating that can bring down others.
Not enough, hoaks actually use human feelings as objects and tools to trigger a reaction. So that it affects others to do stupid things because of feelings of wanting to help, anxiety, fear, pity, and anger. So social engineering techniques such as the use of hoaks for certain purposes are often successful. No wonder the hoax in the Oxford English Dictionary is defined as malicious deception or lies made with evil intentions. While in KBBI (Big Indonesian Dictionary), hoaks are interpreted as hoaxes.
Parents in Indonesia must realize that fighting hoaks can actually save our children from slander, division, deception, time loss, and other dangers. That way, parents will have the motivation to familiarize themselves and their families in resisting hoaks. Parents can teach children to fight hoaks as early as possible in a variety of simple ways. As:
Instill fond of reading at home
Literacy and reading are very influential in children to fight hoaxes as early as possible. Get used to provide readings that children like at home, introduce children to books, make a fun reading routine. If the child likes to read, the bombastic titles that are often made by the media (cause of hoaks), will not affect people who are accustomed to reading news content.
Train children to use social media wisely
Genarasi children now really will not be separated from social media, therefore parents play an important role in educating children to socialize healthy media. Like using social media as needed, do not post things that are not important, do not post things that do not have a valid news source, and are more active in the real world than in cyberspace.
Train children to be more critical when receiving information
Ajarkan anak untuk lebih memahami klarifikasi dan verifikasi. Serta tidak mudah percaya dan menyebar sebuah berita dengan gegabah. Orangtua juga mengikutsertakan anak-anak dalam kegiatan menyaring informasi dalam keluarga. Seperti orang tua melibatkan anak ketika ingin mengetahui dan mengecek sebuah berita termasuk dalam hoaks atau tidak. Bisa dengan cara mengenalkan laman www.data.turnbackhoax.id yang berfungsi sebagai database berisi referensi berita hoaks.
Memahami bersama tentang bahaya dan dampak hoaks
Orang tua juga perlu menanamkan bahwa hoaks berbahaya dan selalu memiliki dampak buruk. Dengan memberi pengertian yang baik pada anak, seorang anak akhirnya memeiliki motivasi dan alasan yang kuat mengapa ia harus berpartisipasi dalam melawan hoaks.
Memberi contoh melawan hoaks
Orang tua bisa memberi contoh pada anak dalam melawan hoaks dengan aktif untuk mengungkap hoaks-hoaks yang beredar. Tentu dengan mempertimbangkan kelima hal berikut: hati-hati dengan judul provokatif, cermati alamat situs, periksa fakta, cek keaslian foto, dan ikut serta grup diskusi anti-hoaks.
Melawan hoaks dengan melaporkan hoaks
Jika orang tua dan anak sudah berhadapan langsung dengan hoaks, maka orang tua perlu mengajari anak untuk jangan diam saja. Melawan hoaks bisa dengan melaporkan hoaks tersebut, agar tidak semakin menyebar. Seperti:
Untuk media sosial facebook, gunakan fitur report tatus dan kategorikan informasi hoaks sebagai hatespeech/ harrasment/ rude/ threatening, atau kategori lainnya yang sesuai.
Untuk google, bisa menggunakan fitur feedback untuk melaporkan situs dari hasil pencarian apabila mengandung informasi palsu atau hoaks.
Untuk twitter memiliki fitur report tweet untuk melaporkan tweet yang mengandung konten negatif atau hoaks.
Untuk Instagram, pilih laporkan. Kemudian tentukan alasan pelaporan. Lalu akan muncul halaman terima kasih dari instagram.
Untuk pengguna internet bisa mengadukan konten negatif ke Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika dengan mengirimkan e-mail ke alamat aduankonten@mail.kominfo.go.id.
Untuk pengguna internet juga bisa mengunjungi laman www.data.turnbackhoax.id yang menampung aduan hoax dari netizen.