Indonesian Ulema Council Must Expand Digital Literacy to Combat Online Radicalism and Protect Youth

Ilustration by AI 

FORMOSA NEWS

A comprehensive academic study published in July 2026 highlights the urgent need to strengthen the digital literacy role of the Indonesian Ulema Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia or MUI) to counter cyber radicalism and safeguard national resilience. The study was conducted by M Ihsan from Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA (UHAMKA) and Afi Parnawi from STAI Ibnu Sina Batam. Their research underscores that while Indonesia’s rapid digital transformation connects over 229 million citizens, low digital literacy leaves youth exceptionally vulnerable to extremist propaganda online.

Rising Internet Penetration and the Threat of Cyber Radicalism

Indonesia’s internet penetration has surged to 80.66 percent of the national population, turning cyberspace into a primary domain for social interaction, news consumption, and religious learning. Generation Z and millennials represent the majority of active internet users across the archipelago.

However, this rapid digital growth presents severe national security challenges. Extremist networks increasingly utilize social media, short-video platforms, encrypted messaging apps, and online gaming environments to disseminate propaganda, spread intolerance, and execute ideological recruitment.

Several psychological and technological mechanisms accelerate online radicalization:

• The Online Disinhibition Effect: Internet users often act more impulsively and absorb hostile or extreme views more readily online due to perceived anonymity and reduced social friction.
• Algorithmic Echo Chambers: Social media recommendation systems continuously deliver biased content, trapping vulnerable individuals in isolated ideological bubbles.
• Gaps in Digital Literacy: While digital access is high, public skills regarding digital safety, critical evaluation, and filtering misinformation remain relatively low.

Evaluating MUI’s Strategic Role and Digital Challenges

The study evaluated the institutional positioning and digital capabilities of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). As Indonesia's paramount religious authority, MUI possesses high public trust and strong moral legitimacy. MUI has previously issued foundational guidance, including its 2003 Fatwa on Terrorism and Fatwa No. 24/2017 on guidelines for social media interactions.

Despite these formal declarations, M Ihsan from Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA and Afi Parnawi from STAI Ibnu Sina Batam found that moderate religious outreach remains underrepresented in digital spaces. Radical channels frequently outpace official moderation narratives by producing short, highly emotional, and visually engaging digital content. Furthermore, MUI faces structural challenges, such as limited digital media infrastructure, a shortage of trained cyber preachers (cyber da'i), and an unintegrated digital counter-narrative system.

Research Methodology: Strategic Frameworks for National Resilience

The authors utilized a descriptive-analytical qualitative research design based on a comprehensive literature review. Data sources included official policy documents, MUI religious rulings, government statistical reports, national cybersecurity assessments, and data from the 2026 National Leadership Consolidation Education (P3N) XXVII at Lemhannas RI.

To map internal capabilities against external threats, M Ihsan of UHAMKA and Afi Parnawi of STAI Ibnu Sina Batam applied National Resilience analysis using Lemhannas RI's Asta Gatra perspective, integrated with SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) and PESTLE analytical frameworks.

Key Findings: Six Strategic Pillars to Reinforce Cognitive Immunity

The study presents concrete data detailing the extent of the digital radicalism threat in Indonesia and outlines a multi-pronged action plan:

• Extremist Content Exposure: National tracking identified over 21,199 pieces of radical and intolerant content in digital spaces within a single year. Additionally, 112 children across 26 provinces were officially identified as exposed to radical ideologies through social media and online games.
• Comprehensive MUI Digital Transformation: MUI must modernize its communication channels, adopting interactive multimedia formats to effectively reach younger audiences.
• National Religious Digital Literacy Integration: MUI should partner with educational institutions, Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), and government bodies to teach digital ethics and critical content evaluation.
• Training Cyber Preachers and Moderate Influencers: The institution needs to actively train digital communicators who can create compelling, moderate content that counters extremist narratives.
• Early Detection and Response Systems: In collaboration with the National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT), the Indonesian National Police, and the Ministry of Communication and Digital, MUI must implement monitoring systems to swiftly address radical propaganda.
• Family and Community Youth Protection: Education initiatives must empower families to monitor digital exposure and build ideological resilience at home.
• Strengthening Cyberspace Governance: Regulatory frameworks and platform oversight must be updated to prevent social media algorithms from amplifying hate speech.

Real-World Impact and Policy Implications

Implementing these recommendations will significantly boost the public's "cognitive immunity" against manipulative online messaging, directly fortifying Indonesia's national resilience across ideological, socio-cultural, and security dimensions.

As lead researcher M Ihsan from Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA notes, countering cyber radicalism requires moving beyond passive fatwas toward active, tech-savvy engagement that establishes religious moderation as the dominant narrative online. Co-author Afi Parnawi from STAI Ibnu Sina Batam emphasizes that equipping youth with digital critical-thinking skills is the most sustainable defense against decentralized, "lone-wolf" radicalization.

Author Profiles

• M Ihsan, S.Ag., M.Pd. is a lecturer and researcher at Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA (UHAMKA) in Jakarta, Indonesia. His primary research interests center on Islamic education, digital literacy, and national resilience studies.
• Dr. Afi Parnawi, M.Pd.I. is a senior academic and lecturer at STAI Ibnu Sina Batam, specializing in educational psychology, religious education management, and the sociology of religion.

Source Information

Article Title: Strengthening the Role of MUI in Digital Literacy on the Dangers of Radicalism to Reinforce National Resilience
Journal: Jurnal Multidisiplin Madani (MUDIMA)
Publication Year: 2026 (Vol. 6, No. 7, pp. 988–993)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/mudima.v6i7.101

URL : https://journalmudima.my.id/index.php/mudima