CHILDREN'S LEGAL PROTECTION EDUCATION IN THE DIGITAL ERA TO PREVENT CYBERBULLYING AND CYBERCRIME AT THE FACULTY OF LAW, ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF NORTH SUMATRA

Abstract

The rapid development of information and communication technology has led to an increase in cyberbullying cases and various forms of cybercrime targeting children and adolescents in Indonesia. Data from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) records thousands of digital-based violence cases against children annually, yet the digital legal literacy of the community in addressing these issues remains very low. This community service activity was carried out by the Faculty of Law, Universitas Islam Sumatra Utara (FH UISU) with the aim of improving participants' digital legal literacy, providing in-depth understanding of children's rights in digital spaces, forms of cyberbullying and cybercrime, as well as reporting mechanisms and law enforcement. The implementation method used a participatory approach through three stages: preparation (needs survey, coordination, and material development), implementation (legal lectures, Focus Group Discussion, case simulation, legal consultation, and digital education), and evaluation. The activity was attended by 50 participants consisting of high school students, university students, parents, teachers, and the general public. Pre-test and post-test results showed an average improvement in participants' understanding of 49.6 percentage points (from 34.7% to 84.3%), with a participant satisfaction rate of 94%. This activity effectively improved participants' digital legal literacy, ability to identify cyberbullying, and understanding of cybercrime reporting mechanisms as an effort to build a safe and responsible digital culture for child protection.