Natizens Should Create Ethics Code for Social Media :Expert

Jakarta (Antara) - A former member of the Press Council, Agus Sudibyo, believes internet users, or netizens, should create a Social Media Ethics Code to prevent abuses of internet media. "Social media encourages a participatory approach that makes everyone subjects and information sources. So, there needs to be an ethics code to avoid the spreading of news stories that are hoaxes," Agus said during a discussion of "Productive and Healthy Internet Movements" here on Friday. Agus noted that a participatory approach is linked to social media users' roles as citizen journalists. With social media, everyone can become information sources for the press or the public. On the other hand, social media provides an opportunity for abuses by spreading false news and other provocative information. "Social media users do not want to be categorized as members of the press due to there being a lot of regulations. So, social media needs a Social Media Ethics Code that is consistent with the idea and spirit of citizen journalism," he said. If, however, a Social Media Ethics Code is created by the government, Agus believes that internet users will ignore it. "Regulations and ethics codes about social media use should be created by its users. The Press Council and Ministry of Communication and Information can only assist them," he said. Agus added that social media users should learn from the example of the cyber media guidelines, which were not created by the Press Council but, rather, by cyber media users. (*) Reporting by Gilang Galiartha.