Comlabs Free IT Saturday Lesson, Pentingnya Etika dalam Cyber Journalism

By UKM Student English Forum

Editor UKM Student English Forum

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id-Comlabs USDI-ITB once again held Free Saturday Lessons (FSL). FSL is Comlabs USDI-ITB's nonprofit program aiming to socialize information technology advancement to the public. The event, organized monthly by Comlabs USDI-ITB, this time takes cyberjounalism as the theme. It took place in Comlabs ITB Seminar Room on Saturday (30/10/10).

These days, information spreads very fast. In a number of seconds, information can be dissipated around the globe through the internet. The speed and ease of information spread yields good and bad consequences, requiring sufficient education be taught to general society.

The discussion on cyberjournalism invited the editorial head of Pikiran Rakyat Budhiana Kartawijaya; ITB Electrical Engineering lecturer, who has a passion in online journalism Budi Raharjo; and Ima Noor P., news producer of ITB Multimedia Production Unit (LPM).

Budhiana talked about electronic newspaper. Being omnipresent nowadays, electronic newspaper becomes people's reliable source of information. "Electronic newspaper allows us to access updated information and news, without much hassle," he said. However, the people need to carefully check for the credibility of the electronic newspaper, he added.

Cyberjournalism Ethics

Aside from electronic newspaper, people also find it helpful and reliable to browse through many blogs available in the internet. Blogs are an alternative source for information gathering, for it contains specific and unique information, usually came from the blog writer's experience and thought. Freedom to write in blog is what makes people interested to write and share information in blogs.

"However, this freedom is misused by many bloggers. A lot of bloggers post destructive information," explained Budi Raharjo. That is why, ethics is extremely vital in blog writing, he said.

"Today's FSL is very fuctional and educative," told Yanti, student of STIE STEMBI, who came all the way to ITB to take part in this lesson. yang sengaja datang untuk turut serta dalam FSL. "The journalism skill presented in the seminar is various and stimulating, he said.

Doni Yusdinar, Electrical Engineering '07, FSL chairman explained, "Our mission is to share IT knowledge to a wide range of people. So that society, too, can wisely utilize the technology."