Google commits $1.5 million to expand media literacy in South East Asia

In addition to the USD1.5 million grant, Google employees plan to volunteer their time and technical expertise to the ASEAN Foundation and its beneficiaries. The contribution is aimed at equipping more than 1,000 trainers with new skills and materials so that they can provide training for more than 100,000 people - from young people to older internet users - over the next two years.

Google, via its philanthropic arm Google.org, will contribute USD1.5 million towards the ASEAN Foundation to expand media literacy education in the 10 countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the company announced at today's ASEAN Digital Literacy Forum.

"Often, people in Southeast Asia lack the skills to interpret the information they encounter online - and efforts to change this have historically been fragmented and under-resourced. As we mark 10 years since UNESCO's first Global Media and Information Literacy Week, we want to ensure more Southeast Asians — especially first-time users — can navigate the internet with confidence," Stephanie Davis, Vice President, Southeast Asia, wrote in a blog post.

In addition to the USD1.5 million grant, Google employees plan to volunteer their time and technical expertise to the ASEAN Foundation and its beneficiaries. The contribution is aimed at equipping more than 1,000 trainers with new skills and materials so that they can provide training for more than 100,000 people - from young people to older internet users - over the next two years.

As part of the ASEAN Digital Literacy Forum, Google and the ASEAN Foundation also launched a comic book to illustrate how misinformation can spread, and what to do to prevent it.

"Whether it's updating Google and YouTube product policies, elevating the work of fact-checkers, or supporting organizations like ASEAN Foundation, we're going to keep doing everything we can to help advance media literacy in Southeast Asia and beyond," the post added.