The Role of Digital Literacy in Mitigating Information Poverty for Improving SDGs Achievements: a Literature Review Study

Abstrak

The achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a transformative global agenda demanding multi-stakeholder collaboration; however, this effort is hindered by the phenomenon of information poverty as a structural manifestation of the digital divide. The primary purpose of this research is to analyze the specific role of digital literacy as a key mediating factor in mitigating information poverty to optimize SDG achievement. The research methodemployed is a qualitative literature review. Data analysis was conducted using content coding techniques to synthesize findings from 23 final scientific articles, strictly selected from academic databases between 2021 and 2026. The results of the synthesis indicate that the role of digital literacy is hierarchical across three main levels: (1) functional digital literacy, which transforms Information and Communication Technology (ICT) limitations into productive economic opportunities (SDG 1 & 8); (2) critical digital literacy as a defense mechanism that overcomes information poverty by building a "cognitive shield" to protect vulnerable groups from data exploitation, disinformation, and cyber threats that can obstruct access to vital information (SDG 16) ; and (3) institutional digital literacy, which strengthens educational systems and public service accountability (SDG 4, 10, & 17). The main conclusion of this study asserts that digital literacy is not merely a technical skill, but an essential strategic competence for converting digital access into inclusive, secure, and equitable sustainable development impacts.