ASEAN Foundation-Google Collaborate on Digital Literacy Initiative

ANTARA

The ASEAN Foundation in collaboration with Google.org launched the ASEAN Digital Literacy Program (ADLP) which aims to raise digital awareness among ASEAN citizens to keep pace with the digital world.

The event, held in Bangkok on Wednesday (20/3), marked the fourth mission of the ASEAN Digital Literacy Program with a focus on presenting research findings on the digital divide landscape across the 10 ASEAN member states.

Read More

Previously, Google worked with the ASEAN Youth Advisory Group from the 10 ASEAN member states, training 2,000 youth to have proficient digital skills, as well as the ability to adapt Google’s existing digital literacy content to suit each country’s needs, context, and language.

In the next phase, Google and the ASEAN Foundation will return the 2,000 youth to their home countries to spread their knowledge to their fellow citizens.

Google.org Asia Pacific Lead Marija Ralic praised the ASEAN Foundation’s efforts in implementing the ASEAN Digital Literacy Program under the visionary leadership of ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Piti Srisangnam.

Ralic highlighted that the program has succeeded in raising awareness and improving the digital skills of ASEAN citizens beyond expectations by reaching 190,000 people, far exceeding the initial target of 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Piti Srisangnam emphasized the importance of digital literacy for ASEAN citizens in the current era. He stated that if Thailand can effectively utilize new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), it can become one of the top economies in ASEAN in terms of economic growth.

However, there is an urgent need for digital literacy and readiness, especially in terms of information competency and critical thinking skills, where Thailand is currently lagging behind.

Similarly, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to ASEAN and Chair of the ASEAN Foundation Board of Trustees, Derry Aman emphasized the importance of strengthening digital literacy and cultivating the ability to keep up with digital advancements.

He stated that digital skills are an important tool to drive positive change, especially in an era filled with fake news and distorted information. Collaboration between all stakeholders in the ASEAN community is important, he said, and will bring great benefits to the region as a whole.

Based on a study on the digital divide conducted by researchers from 10 ASEAN member states, it was found that the main problem faced is the lack of critical thinking skills among digital media consumers.

This causes people to easily believe in unverified news sources, misinformation, and fake news. The phenomenon is not limited to the younger generation, but also includes educators, students, and vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and teenagers.

Even people from developed countries like Singapore, where the literacy rate is 97 percent, are still vulnerable to online fraud.

Related posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *