3 - “Is the Internet a luxury?”: Questioning digital inclusion through digital literacy movement in Indonesia

The digital literacy movement began to develop in Indonesia in 2010 with various digital literacy programs carried out by many stakeholders both individually and collaboratively targeting various target audiences. However, there is still digital exclusion where vulnerable communities are left out of ‘mainstream’ digital literacy programs. These communities are, for example, women, children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities who have challenges in dealing with digital transformation in every aspect of their lives, personally and professionally. As a concept, digital inclusion is a form of social inclusion in the digital world to ensure all individuals and communities in society have equal opportunity and competence to effectively use the Internet and increase their quality of life. This multiple case study focuses on some programs conducted by many stakeholders to accelerate digital inclusion through digital literacy programs in Indonesia conducted from 2020 to mid-2024. Some of the programs are ‘Indonesia Makin Cakap Digital’ (Indonesia increasingly digital), and ‘Tular Nalar untuk Lansia’ (Tular Nalar for Senior Citizens). The aim of this study is not only to map the actors, programs, targets, and challenges; but also to evaluate the sustainability of the programs in creating an inclusive digital ecosystem in Indonesia. The findings of the study indicate that although there are efforts to create digital literacy programs that are inclusive; these programs have not involved inclusive community participation, have not demonstrated strong and sustainable commitment and collaboration, and have not shown a synergistic strategy.