Be Wise in Using Social Media

source image : djkn.kemenkeu.go.id

In today's digital age, internet access is incredibly easy. With just a smartphone, the world feels like it's at our fingertips. We can access social media anytime, anywhere.

A Singapore-based research and marketing company, We Are Social, stated that as of January 2014, active internet users in Indonesia reached 72.7 million, and nearly 98% had social media accounts. This proves that the virtual world has a special place in our daily lives.

Your Finger, Your Tiger
Have you ever encountered a friend's Facebook status filled with heartfelt complaints or heartbreaks? Or worse, someone's status filled with curses and vulgar insults.

Why is it easier for someone to express their feelings through social media? Even a quiet person in real life can become a polar opposite on social media. This is thought to be due to the online nature of the virtual world, which doesn't require face-to-face interaction, making social media users more willing to speak out or comment. Because of the freedom offered, social media users often forget communication ethics, and in certain cases, this can even develop into a crime.

source image : rri.co.id

Just as with communication in the real-world public sphere, social media also carries the risk of conflict. The Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE) was created to regulate all matters related to the dissemination of electronic transaction information. The ITE Law serves as a legal umbrella for the public to be more careful in speaking online.

The words we write are actually a reflection of our personality. We must not let the statuses or comments we post on social media spread hatred, offend others, or even land us in legal trouble.

Here are some tips for using social media to comply with existing guidelines.

1. Uphold Ethical Communication
Even though we don't meet face-to-face with other social media users, we must still uphold ethical communication. Try not to hurt, harass, demean, slander, or violate the rights of others in your statuses or comments.

2. Be Selective in Disseminating Information
When we receive interesting information from social media, don't immediately believe it. It's best to double-check the validity of the information. We must not spread false information (hoaxes), which could land us in legal trouble.

source image : bpkpenabur.or.id

3. Don't share personal secrets publicly
Never, even if you're tempted to share personal secrets on social media. For example, venting about household problems or internal family conflicts. The problems we post will become public fodder, and others will enjoy them like a spectacle. Instead of finding solutions, we'll likely make the problem worse.

4. Be wise in managing your online time
It's best to limit the amount of time you spend online. Don't let family time or productive work time be wasted because you choose to enjoy online activities.

5. Don't forget about copyright
When sharing information on social media, never forget to cite the source of the post or image obtained from another party.

6. Be careful about sharing personal data
Social media is highly susceptible to various risks of fraud and other crimes. We should be careful about sharing personal data, identities, and photos, so that they are not easily exploited by certain parties with malicious intentions.

As part of today's technological products, social media is like a double-edged sword. Social media is merely a neutral tool, and users will use it to bring good or evil. Which will you choose?

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