Jakarta Teams Up with High Schoolers in Fight against Hoaxes

Two high school students were named 2026 Jakarta Anti-Hoax ambassadors by Governor Pramono Anung at City Hall on Monday (11/2), to help drive youth involvement in digital literacy.

More young people to develop a critical mindset toward current events

This program builds on the city's established Jala Hoaks platform, expanding public efforts to promote critical thinking online.

"Despite we already have Jala Hoaks, bringing high school students on board ensures young people play a direct role in countering false information," he expressed.

Diskominfotik Calls on Media to Counter Hoaxes, Uphold Facts

Pramono welcomed the anti-hoax initiative for positioning students on the front lines, calling disinformation a global challenge that requires active, critical thinking from the younger generation to overcome.

"By naming Anti-Hoax Ambassadors, we hope to encourage more young people to develop a critical mindset toward current events," he added.

Two high schoolers, Winda (SMAN 68) and Muhammad Ibrahim Gumay (SMAN 71), received commendations and overseas training opportunities as 2026 Jakarta’s Anti-Hoax Ambassadors.

Despite Jakarta leading the country with an Indonesia Digital Society Index (IMDI) score of 56.97, Pramono stressed that curbing widespread misinformation demands a unified approach.

"Everyone here has undergone a long process and earned the trust to take on the fight against hoaxes together," he explained.

Jakarta emphasizes total budgetary transparency and open governance to prevent misinformation surrounding public administration.

"Every tax rupiah spent must be accounted for publicly. Full transparency ensures there is absolutely no ambiguity," he emphasized.

Jakarta Communication, Informatics, and Statistics Agency Head Marulina Dewi stated that the Jakarta Anti-Hoax Ambassador program marks the first time such a program has been organized by the Jakarta government.

Designed to follow gubernatorial directives on public transparency, the program aims to enhance public trust by building community-led fact-checking capacity.

"Through this program, we are making sure Jakarta has the capability to curate and filter out false information as it arises," she continued.

Digital modernization is central to Jakarta’s global city vision, driving public service improvements and transparent governance.

Beyond administrative shifts, this digital evolution fundamentally alters how residents consume and share information.

"Our main challenge is making sure seamless access to data goes hand in hand with digital literacy—enabling citizens to filter out hoaxes and verify facts," she emphasized.

She went on to say that young people carry strategic leverage online as opinion leaders and active content creators across digital networks.

"With the Anti-Hoax Ambassador program, City Hall wants to empower youth to lead the charge in transforming how the public interacts with digital media," she continued.

Out of 356 applicants representing 119 public high schools, 10 finalists emerged after rigorous selection rounds, culminating in the naming of the top two Anti-Hoax Ambassadors.

The newly appointed ambassadors will champion digital literacy and fact-checking practices through school outreach, community events, public spaces, and online platforms.