Digital Literacy as a Strategy for Preventing and Handling Sexual Violence in the Indonesian Academic Communities

2025-01-29T09:23:50+00:00

Sexual violence in universities represents an iceberg phenomenon. The Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education has identified sexual violence as one of the most serious issues facing higher education. In response, the ministry enacted a regulation to address the prevention and handling of sexual violence (PHSV) within universities. While there is extensive research on the implementation of this regulation, as well as on the controversies surrounding it and the handling of sexual violence cases in universities, limited studies have explored the association between the prevention and management of such cases and the digital literacy levels among university community members. On the other hand, socialization and prevention programs related to sexual violence are mostly conducted through digital media platforms. This study employed qualitative research methods to assess the digital literacy levels of university community members in relation to PHSV. Initial data was collected through questionnaires, focus group discussions, and documentation of informants. The findings highlight that preventing and addressing sexual violence cannot be effectively achieved solely by disseminating PHSV information via digital media. These efforts must be supported by initiatives to enhance digital literacy across university communities. This research provides valuable insights into the intersection of digital literacy and gender-based violence prevention, particularly in academic settings. Methodologically, the study demonstrates the adequacy of the qualitative approaches in comprehensively exploring and describing this phenomenon. Moreover, the study contributes to the broader academic discourse by illustrating how social and digital media shape perceptions of sexual violence and play a critical role in raising awareness.

Dynamics of Climate Disinformation in Facebook and Instagram Posts in Brazil

2025-03-10T08:03:01+00:00

This study examines the dynamics of climate disinformation in Facebook and Instagram posts in Brazil, focusing on the misrepresentation of scientific data aimed at discrediting science. We characterised the recurring themes, forms of expression, social actors involved, languages, and types of narratives that encompass fallacies, conspiracy theories, and religious viewpoints. Furthermore, we cross-referenced these categories with the presence or absence of scientific arguments to explore whether the use of science in climate disinformation serves to reinforce specific viewpoints or fuel controversy. The methodological approach included content and thematic analysis of 77 climate disinformation posts on these platforms, collected between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, using the descriptors “climate change” and “global warming”. Our findings confirm the existence of a climate disinformation ecosystem with distinct Brazilian characteristics, where public discussions reinforce the notion of humanity’s demise, framed within catastrophic rhetoric and propagated by alternative media. The analysis also highlights that Facebook is increasingly a space for more explicit climate disinformation, often linked to fanaticism, as opposed to Instagram, which presents climate disinformation in a way that does not directly deny science.

Comunicação e Sociedade

Digital Literacy as a Strategy for Preventing and Handling Sexual Violence in the Indonesian Academic Communities

Dynamics of Climate Disinformation in Facebook and Instagram Posts in Brazil