Reconstructing Substantive Digital Literacy: A Case Study of Generation Z's Civic Transformation in Indonesia

Abstract

Digital citizenship is frequently trapped in cyber performativity, ignoring the potential for substantive collaboration amidst algorithmic hegemony. This study aims to analyze the transformation of the digital citizenship paradigm into literacy-based collective action within the Civic Kolaborasik community in Tegal, Brebes, and Slawi. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative method with a case study design, data were gathered through in-depth interviews, participant observation of 20 informants, and documentation. Data validity was ensured through source triangulation until data saturation was reached. The results indicate that Civic Kolaborasik successfully operationalized a systematic informal curriculum as a critical ideological filter, transforming consumptive digital behavior into measurable social cognition through the "Ngopi Ngapak" culture as an egalitarian public sphere. This transformation proves that substantive digital literacy can foster meaningful civic participation beyond digital spaces. The findings emphasize that the integration of local wisdom and critical dialectics is key to addressing information polarization. This study provides a scalable model for social movements to mitigate algorithmic hegemony in diverse local contexts across Indonesia.