We teach children to wash their hands before eating. But have we\ntaught them to check information before sharing it? We remind them of\nthe importance of looking after their bodies. How often do we talk about\nwhat enters their minds every day through their phone screens?<\/p>\n
These questions touch on issues close to our lives. Some families sit\naround the same table, yet each person is absorbed in their own world.\nSome people are adept at commenting on distant issues but know nothing\nof their neighbours\u2019 difficulties. Digital connections are expanding,\nwhile opportunities to listen to one another are shrinking.<\/p>\n
The digital space brings many benefits, of course. Knowledge is\naccessible, creativity can find an audience, and citizens have channels\nthrough which to hold power to account. But this freedom requires\nself-control and respect for others. Both must be learnt through\neveryday experience.<\/p>\n
That is why discussions about digital ethics should move towards more\nconcrete action. We need activities that develop sensitivity, create\nopportunities for people to meet, and enable communities to produce\nsomething useful.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta has the resources to do this.<\/p>\n
In a Yogyakarta Cultural Park publication about a meeting of cultural\npark heads in September 2026, the Art for Children programme was cited\nas one way to teach sensitivity and good character from an early age.\nArts education was presented as part of character formation, extending\nbeyond the aim of producing artists.<\/p>\n
This idea deserves to be expanded. Arts studios, schools, libraries\nand community halls can offer regular activities that bring children\ntogether with the arts and with community life. Storytelling, theatre,\ndance, drawing and music practice provide opportunities to learn to take\nturns, accept feedback and pay attention to others.<\/p>\n
In gamelan practice, for example, a person needs to listen to the\nwhole ensemble. They learn when to come in, how forcefully to play an\ninstrument and how to maintain harmony. Experiences like this can inform\ndigital ethics education: freedom of expression goes hand in hand with a\nwillingness to listen.<\/p>\n
These lessons need to be deliberately reinforced. After an arts\nsession, facilitators can invite participants to discuss their\nexperiences. How does it feel when your opinion is ignored? What happens\nif someone constantly dominates? How can you express disagreement\nwithout belittling others?<\/p>\n
In this way, culture becomes a practice ground for dealing with\ntoday\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n
Sensitivity should also have a place alongside activities that look\nafter physical health. Play areas, group sports, walking and community\nclean-ups give people opportunities to meet away from screens. Such\nencounters matter because it is easier to understand someone when we\nknow something about the life they lead.<\/p>\n
An interesting example was introduced by the Sleman Regency\nGovernment through its Sapa Aruh activities in 2024. The concept\ncombined car-free-day activities with a forum for residents to voice\ntheir concerns, guided by the spirit of nyehatke, ngrungoke,\nnguwongke<\/em>: promoting health, listening and treating people with\nhumanity.<\/p>\n This approach could be developed at village and kalurahan<\/em>\nlevel. Morning exercise could be followed by an open discussion of\nenvironmental issues. Community clean-ups could lead into discussions\nabout waste management. Local arts performances could provide young\npeople with a platform to share their ideas.<\/p>\n The condition is that these conversations must lead to follow-up\naction. Complaints need to be recorded, responsibility assigned and\nprogress reported back. Residents need to see that speaking\nconstructively can achieve something.<\/p>\n This is where the link between public services and the health of the\ndigital space becomes clear. When people\u2019s concerns receive answers\nthrough face-to-face meetings, they have an alternative to making a\npublic outcry. Conversely, forums that collect complaints without\nresolving them will deepen frustration.<\/p>\n The next step is to bring these positive experiences into the digital\nspace through engaging and trustworthy content.<\/p>\n There is a policy reference for this direction. In an October 2025\npress release, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs linked\ndigital literacy, positive content production and collaboration with\ncultural institutions as part of efforts to strengthen character and\ncultural identity.<\/p>\n Implementation needs to be grounded in everyday life. Young people\ncould be involved in making videos about local history, documenting\ntraditional games, interviewing craftspeople or explaining environmental\nissues. Stories about sanitation workers, community library managers and\nresidents who care for rivers also deserve attention.<\/p>\n Producing this content requires guidance. Universities, creative\ncommunities, artists and local governments could run small classes on\nstorytelling, filming, fact-checking and obtaining permission to use\nphotographs. Participants should create work that is actually published\nand discussed together.<\/p>\n Healthy content should also be understood broadly. Data-based\ncriticism of public services is included, as are explanations of how to\nfile a complaint, recognise a scam or check whether a claim is true. Its\nquality lies in the accuracy of the information, respect for human\ndignity and usefulness to readers.<\/p>\n There is still room for humour, and everyday language remains\nimportant. Creativity should be encouraged so that useful messages do\nnot get lost in stiff presentation.<\/p>\n For law-enforcement intelligence, this cultural approach can inform\nefforts to understand and prevent emerging social vulnerabilities.\nSpaces for dialogue help clarify the sources of public concern. Literacy\nhelps people assess information. Responsive services provide a route to\nresolve problems before they escalate.<\/p>\n Cultural activities must remain safe spaces for public expression.\nDifferences of opinion should be heard fairly. Careful attention to\ncontext, verification of information and working within the limits of\none\u2019s authority are essential if efforts to maintain public order are\nalso to preserve trust.<\/p>\n The success of all these measures should be assessed through tangible\nchange. Are activities held regularly? Do young people have\nopportunities to create? Are residents\u2019 complaints followed up? Does the\ncontent produced help people understand the issues?<\/p>\n Audience numbers can be counted. The growth of concern for others\nrequires more patient attention.<\/p>\n Ultimately, caring for the digital space begins with the habits we\nbuild at home, at school, in arts studios and in our communities. These\nare the places where people learn to pay attention, work together and\nrecognise that others have feelings and interests just as valuable as\ntheir own.<\/p>\n We need healthy bodies, clear minds and empathy that is continually\nnurtured. With these foundations, digital freedom can become an\nopportunity to enrich our shared lives.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nurturing-empathy-in-the-age-of-algorithmic-power-1792727557",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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