East Kalimantan mitigates cyberbullying to protect women's digital space

Samarinda - The East Kalimantan Provincial Government is strengthening mitigation against the phenomenon of cyberbullying to protect public security in digital spaces for women. “We see the trend of harassment on social media becoming increasingly concerning, so massive education on internet etiquette is needed,” said the Head of the Regional Technical Implementation Unit for Women’s and Children’s Protection (UPTD PPA) of East Kalimantan, Kholid Budhaeri, in Samarinda on Friday. Based on field data, this form of disturbance includes rude online debates to the dissemination of personal information without permission for the purpose of humiliation. Such actions often involve hate speech that attacks individuals’ identities based on ethnicity, religion, race, and certain groups. He stressed that society must understand legal boundaries, as cyberbullying perpetrators can be charged under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law. “There are severe criminal penalties and fines for anyone proven to have committed intimidation or defamation in the virtual world,” Kholid emphasised. The UPTD PPA of East Kalimantan advises victims not to respond to the perpetrator’s messages to prevent the situation from escalating and becoming uncontrollable. Kholid conveyed the steps victims should take: immediately gather evidence in the form of screenshots of harassing comments or messages. After collecting evidence, users are advised to immediately block the perpetrator’s account and report it to the relevant social media platform. Kholid also urged victims not to keep the problem to themselves and to bravely share it with trusted people. “Support from family, friends, or teachers becomes the main foundation in restoring the psychological condition of someone affected by digital bullying,” he said. He stated that if the mental pressure felt exceeds an individual’s capacity, seeking professional help from psychological institutions is highly recommended. The UPTD PPA of East Kalimantan expressed readiness to provide assistance to women and children who become victims of violence in the virtual world. “Building empathy in the virtual world is the key to creating peace and harmony in everyday real life,” said Kholid.