Fostering digital inclusion in Indonesia: The insights of activists on digital literacy programs for vulnerable groups

This case study focuses on the insights of activists involved in digital literacy programs for vulnerable groups in Indonesia, which is essential to promote social equality. Employing theories related to new media, digital divide and digital literacy, this study aims to elaborate on the activists’ roles as social actors in fostering digital inclusion. The primary method of data collection was online interviews conducted with 47 activists, which yielded four main findings. First, most of the activists are middle-aged Javanese female educators. Second, the activists emphasize their focus on program delivery rather than its evaluation for sustainability. Third, the vulnerable groups are split into primary targets (children, the elderly, and women) and secondary targets (3T region residents, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and indigenous belief groups). Fourth, they faced dual challenges: internally, in facilitating the primary groups for domestic empowerment, and externally, in supporting the secondary groups for social inclusion. These findings not only serve as a data source for activists to minimize digital disparities among various vulnerable groups when designing their programs but also serve as a valuable contribution to studies within new media and communication studies on the role of digital literacy activists.