On Wednesday (23/11), the European Union Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, Vincent Piket, gave a public lecture at Fablab, President University, in Jababeka industrial estate, Cikarang. In this session, Ambassador Picket delivered topic Disinformation and Fake News: European Union's Approach to Protecting the Civic Space in the Digital Era. This guest lecture was organized by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) and President University Major Association of International Relations (PUMA IR). Present at the guest lecture was the Dean Faculty of Humanities, Dr. Endi Haryono, as well as other lecturers. The program began with the singing of Indonesia Raya and a moment of silence for Cianjur earthquake victims. This guest lecture session was hosted by MC Theresia Christabelle Laurens and Brittany Rumintjap, students of International Relations batch 2021, and moderated by Dr. Jeanne Francoise, lecturer in International Relations at Presuniv.
According to Ambassador Picket, disinformation is still one of the main challenges, which includes both old and new threats. That is why European Union (EU) having new technologies to disseminate disinformation. This technology involves several factors, such as individuals, internal, non-state actors, and foreign countries, which are expected to be part of the solution, not the problem. Said Ambassador Picket, "EU has expanded its principles and goals to tackle disinformation." For example, by developing an action plan against disinformation. These actions include increasing the detection, analysis, and disclosure of disinformation; strengthening cooperation and sharing responses to disinformation; mobilizing the private sector to tackle disinformation; raising awareness and enhancing community resilience; developing rapid warning systems; and implementing a code of conduct on disinformation.
To combat disinformation, EU also collaborates with international institutions, such as the United Nations, WHO, G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, NATO, civil society, independent media, journalists, and consumers. Said Ambassador Picket, "All these efforts still face challenges, such as debates about right or wrong content, role of the media, information ecosystem with increasing aggression against journalists, and how to respond from foreign disinformation." The guest lecture was followed by a question-and-answer discussing issues of digital literacy, EU anticipation of cybercrime, how EU dealing with VUCA era, and opportunities for ASEAN to have the same cybersecurity policy as EU. (Jeanne Francoise, lecturer in International Relations. Photo: Doc. FPCI).
