Acting Governor Invites Residents and Students to Fight Online Gambling

Acting Jakarta Governor, Teguh Setyabudi, attended the Digital Literacy Education and Training activity with Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) at Intiland Teduh Semper Barat RPTRA and SMAN 92 Jakarta.

Good digital literacy provision is needed for parents and children

By carrying the theme 'Prevention and Handling of Online Gambling in Schools and the Community', he hoped that this socialization could increase understanding regarding the dangers of online gambling, thus the community was protected from detrimental digital activities.

"Good digital literacy provision is needed for parents and children to avoid the risk of online gender-based violence, including unwanted online gambling. In addition, parents need to play a role in accompanying children when interacting in cyberspace safely and wisely," he explained, as quoted by Jakarta Government's press release, Tuesday (11/12).

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According to data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), there has been an increase in exposure to online gambling for children by 300% in the period 2017-2023. Throughout 2023, there were 1,856 children involved in online gambling in 19,555 transactions worth Rp 2.295 billion. The children have an age range of over 17 years (1,309 children), 11-16 years (441 children), and under 11 years (106 children).

"Children are exposed to online gambling, among others, from advertisements in games, parents who are gamblers, and massive promotions through social media. This exposure causes children to try and potentially become addicted to online gambling," he expressed.

According to him, the role of parents is very much needed to monitor the various digital activities of their family members, especially children who often spend most of their time using the internet. It is because online gambling is often packaged attractively by using online game mode.

"Jakarta Communication, Informatic and Statistic Agency seeks to improve the understanding of digital literacy among the people of Jakarta through various activities, one of which is the Jakarta digital literacy webinar/seminar entitled SOLID (Sadar Olah Literasi Digital) which has been held since 2022. The target participants are Dasawisma Cadres, Family Empowerment and Welfare (PKK) mothers, students throughout Jakarta, university students, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and the general public," he explained.

His party also continues to strengthen synergy with the Ministry of Communication and Digital through Jalahoaks and Siberkreasi to provide accurate information, create a healthy digital environment, and improve the public's ability to filter information on social media.

"Various parties that provide facilities for fulfilling children's rights together carry out appropriate prevention for children in Jakarta. Thus, there are no more children in Jakarta involved in online gambling. And children involved in online gambling receive serious attention, as well as psychological guidance and counseling so that they do not fall back into the same case," he explained.

In line with Acting Governor Teguh, Communication and Digital Minister, Meutya Hafid invited all parties to work together to combat online gambling. According to her, the most important thing to eradicate online gambling is parental supervision.

"Therefore, I want to invite all mothers, if in the Communication and Digital Minister alone the equipment is limited. Because no matter how sophisticated the equipment is, even if we clean it as clean as possible, the equipment and supervision alone will not be enough," he explained.

He added currently many school children are involved in judol using their parents' accounts or through games.

"So under 10 years old who are exposed to online, the number is 80,000. This is something that we from the ministry cannot reach alone. We have to work together with mothers, parents, mothers/fathers at home to supervise their children," he uttered.