Jakarta Provincial Government Prepares Youth to Become Jakarta Anti-Hoax Ambassadors
The Jakarta Provincial Government’s Communication, Informatics, and Statistics Office (Diskominfotik) is preparing the younger generation to drive digital literacy through the 2026 Jakarta Anti-Hoax Ambassador Programme. This programme is becoming increasingly relevant amidst the changing landscape of digital information.
Ten finalists, selected from 356 applicants, presented their campaign projects and innovations during the judging stage on 29 September. Currently, hoaxes are no longer limited to false news or narratives; they have evolved through photo and video manipulation, deepfakes, AI-based generative content, impersonation, and various digital fraud methods that are increasingly difficult to recognise.
The Head of Jakarta’s Diskominfotik, Marulina Dewi, stated that these conditions demand an evolving approach to digital literacy. “In the era of AI, our challenge is no longer merely distinguishing between true and false information. Photos, voices, and even videos can be engineered very convincingly. Therefore, Jakarta’s best defence is not just technology, but a critical society—one that is accustomed to checking sources, understanding context, and thinking before sharing information,” Marulina said, as quoted from the Jakarta.go.id website on Thursday (1/10/2026).
Marulina emphasised that the Jakarta Anti-Hoax Ambassador programme is not merely a competition to select the best figures. Diskominfotik is looking for young people capable of translating knowledge into action and mobilising the community to become more resilient against hoots and disinformation.
Consequently, the evaluation of finalists considers not only creativity and novelty of ideas but also relevance to real-world issues, implementation capability, communication and leadership, impact, and programme sustainability. “We are not looking for Anti-Hoax Ambassadors who are only strong on stage. We are looking for young people who can speak the language of their generation, engage with the community, and transform knowledge into a movement. Once selected, their work has only just begun,” Marulina added.
The ten finalists are the result of a selection and training series that has been ongoing since July 2026. From 356 applicants, participants underwent administrative selection, phased testing, In-House Training, and briefings on developing campaign projects. The finalists then executed Digital Literacy Campaign Projects from 28 August to 25 September 2026 before presenting their results to the judging panel.
The judging panel included the Head of Jakarta’s Diskominfotik Marulina Dewi; Head of the Digital Literacy Development Centre of BPSDM at the Ministry of Communication and Digital RI Rizki Ameliah; entrepreneur and motivator Merry Riana; actor and creative industry activist Dennis Adhiswara; and Special Staff to the Governor of Jakarta for Community and Religious Affairs, Nong Darol Mahmada.
The inauguration of the 2026 Jakarta Anti-Hoax Ambassadors is planned for October 2026. Once selected, the Ambassadors will serve as partners to Diskominfotik to expand the digital literacy movement through schools, universities, communities, public spaces, and digital channels. Campaign projects deemed to have high potential will also be encouraged for further development to provide a broader impact on society.
Through the 2026 Jakarta Anti-Hoax Ambassadors, the Jakarta Provincial Government aims to strengthen the ‘Jakarta Against Hoaxes’ movement into a collective movement that encourages new habits in society: being critical in receiving information, careful in verifying, and responsible before sharing.