Nurturing Empathy in the Age of Algorithmic Power

We teach children to wash their hands before eating. But have we taught them to check information before sharing it? We remind them of the importance of looking after their bodies. How often do we talk about what enters their minds every day through their phone screens?

These questions touch on issues close to our lives. Some families sit around the same table, yet each person is absorbed in their own world. Some people are adept at commenting on distant issues but know nothing of their neighbours’ difficulties. Digital connections are expanding, while opportunities to listen to one another are shrinking.

The digital space brings many benefits, of course. Knowledge is accessible, creativity can find an audience, and citizens have channels through which to hold power to account. But this freedom requires self-control and respect for others. Both must be learnt through everyday experience.

That is why discussions about digital ethics should move towards more concrete action. We need activities that develop sensitivity, create opportunities for people to meet, and enable communities to produce something useful.

Yogyakarta has the resources to do this.

In a Yogyakarta Cultural Park publication about a meeting of cultural park heads in September 2026, the Art for Children programme was cited as one way to teach sensitivity and good character from an early age. Arts education was presented as part of character formation, extending beyond the aim of producing artists.

This idea deserves to be expanded. Arts studios, schools, libraries and community halls can offer regular activities that bring children together with the arts and with community life. Storytelling, theatre, dance, drawing and music practice provide opportunities to learn to take turns, accept feedback and pay attention to others.

In gamelan practice, for example, a person needs to listen to the whole ensemble. They learn when to come in, how forcefully to play an instrument and how to maintain harmony. Experiences like this can inform digital ethics education: freedom of expression goes hand in hand with a willingness to listen.

These lessons need to be deliberately reinforced. After an arts session, facilitators can invite participants to discuss their experiences. How does it feel when your opinion is ignored? What happens if someone constantly dominates? How can you express disagreement without belittling others?

In this way, culture becomes a practice ground for dealing with today’s problems.

Sensitivity should also have a place alongside activities that look after physical health. Play areas, group sports, walking and community clean-ups give people opportunities to meet away from screens. Such encounters matter because it is easier to understand someone when we know something about the life they lead.

An interesting example was introduced by the Sleman Regency Government through its Sapa Aruh activities in 2024. The concept combined car-free-day activities with a forum for residents to voice their concerns, guided by the spirit of nyehatke, ngrungoke, nguwongke: promoting health, listening and treating people with humanity.

This approach could be developed at village and kalurahan level. Morning exercise could be followed by an open discussion of environmental issues. Community clean-ups could lead into discussions about waste management. Local arts performances could provide young people with a platform to share their ideas.

The condition is that these conversations must lead to follow-up action. Complaints need to be recorded, responsibility assigned and progress reported back. Residents need to see that speaking constructively can achieve something.

This is where the link between public services and the health of the digital space becomes clear. When people’s concerns receive answers through face-to-face meetings, they have an alternative to making a public outcry. Conversely, forums that collect complaints without resolving them will deepen frustration.

The next step is to bring these positive experiences into the digital space through engaging and trustworthy content.

There is a policy reference for this direction. In an October 2025 press release, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs linked digital literacy, positive content production and collaboration with cultural institutions as part of efforts to strengthen character and cultural identity.

Implementation needs to be grounded in everyday life. Young people could be involved in making videos about local history, documenting traditional games, interviewing craftspeople or explaining environmental issues. Stories about sanitation workers, community library managers and residents who care for rivers also deserve attention.

Producing this content requires guidance. Universities, creative communities, artists and local governments could run small classes on storytelling, filming, fact-checking and obtaining permission to use photographs. Participants should create work that is actually published and discussed together.

Healthy content should also be understood broadly. Data-based criticism of public services is included, as are explanations of how to file a complaint, recognise a scam or check whether a claim is true. Its quality lies in the accuracy of the information, respect for human dignity and usefulness to readers.

There is still room for humour, and everyday language remains important. Creativity should be encouraged so that useful messages do not get lost in stiff presentation.

For law-enforcement intelligence, this cultural approach can inform efforts to understand and prevent emerging social vulnerabilities. Spaces for dialogue help clarify the sources of public concern. Literacy helps people assess information. Responsive services provide a route to resolve problems before they escalate.

Cultural activities must remain safe spaces for public expression. Differences of opinion should be heard fairly. Careful attention to context, verification of information and working within the limits of one’s authority are essential if efforts to maintain public order are also to preserve trust.

The success of all these measures should be assessed through tangible change. Are activities held regularly? Do young people have opportunities to create? Are residents’ complaints followed up? Does the content produced help people understand the issues?

Audience numbers can be counted. The growth of concern for others requires more patient attention.

Ultimately, caring for the digital space begins with the habits we build at home, at school, in arts studios and in our communities. These are the places where people learn to pay attention, work together and recognise that others have feelings and interests just as valuable as their own.

We need healthy bodies, clear minds and empathy that is continually nurtured. With these foundations, digital freedom can become an opportunity to enrich our shared lives.