Literasi Digital Sebagai Upaya Preventif Menanggulangi Hoax
Authors: Sabrina Anisa Rizki 
Published: August 2020

One of the most important things in handling the false information circulation (hoax) in the post-truth era is increasing digital literacy. The goal is to give more control to the audience in interpreting messages in digital media. This paper will address the urgency of digital literacy, how it affects, and how to improve its skills in an attempt to overcome tricks. This research uses literature research methods in elaborating various literature in the form of books, journals, magazines, and literature relevant to the theme of writing. In this study, adjustments will be made to change the ecology of the media to encourage the novelty of previous studies, especially media literacy. Developing the definition of media literacy coined by W. James Potter, the author tries to divide the definition of digital literacy into three similar categories (by substituting media objects into digital technology) ie umbrella definition, process definition, and destination definition. Differences in level of literacy will affect the differences of individual control in the process of interpretation of existing information, especially information circulating in social media. On the one hand, social media can be seen as a step closer to democracy on the internet, and closing the digital divide between developing and developed countries. Access to information and social support can increase. But on the other hand, some negative cases are found in the realm of freedom of expression as the use of intense social media in society. Based on data from Diskominfo Jabar 2012, 92.4% of hoax news distribution channels are found through social media. Therefore, the digital literacy relationship with the effort to overcome the deceit cases need to be more excavated, especially in the social media group with the most deceitful cases of microblog types (Twitter) and SNS (Facebook and Instagram). First, digital literacy as a necessity in the life of communication will be reviewed from the theoretical concepts to its importance. Secondly, this paper will discuss the relationship of digital literacy with the prevention of deceit in the post-truth era. Third, the digital literacy skill enhancement mechanism will be presented as a preventive measure. The relationship of digital literacy in the fight against false news lies in the role of the cognitive ability of the audience in the process of verifying information. In fact, to a higher level, digital literacy can help individuals provide alternative information about incorrectly confirmed information. When the control of social media content is difficult for media owners, governments, or other groups, digital literacy becomes the best solution. By promoting digital literacy, self-control over the use of social media can be done optimally. Increased digital literacy as a form of self-control into a solution to prevent the case of false information circulation (hoax) becomes more and more repetitive. Digital literacy can be an effective way to tackle false information (hoaxes) in the post-truth era, by introducing false news alerts, information verification procedures, and following up on the phenomenon of hoax information.

Keywords: digital literacy; hoax; post-truth era; Potter’s media literacy.