For better or for worse, the internet is slowly shaping the social fabric of the Philippines itself. While the benefits of easier socialization, quick information dissemination, advancement in working conditions and influx of economic opportunities are evident, the technology is also used to spread hate, propagate misinformation, and institutionalize scams.
Philippine democracy is threated by fake news from Meta (Facebook) as we know it, but the raw reach of internet is not very damning versus that of the television, contrary to what people in the internet think. According to data from DICT’s ICT Household Survey , 8 out of 10 households do not have access to the internet, while 8 out of 10 households can access the television.
With said information in mind, dear reader, how do you think the Philippines arrived at a point where even with just 20% reach, misinformation from the internet was able to beat facts from books, published media, and even television?
Is it the continued ‘presence’? After all, even the most impactful news from printed media or TV is forgotten once the newspaper is lost, or when the broadcasting channel starts talking about the love life of some up and coming celebrity. With the internet, recall is easy – it is just one search away, even if that search might point to misinformation. This means constant exposure via the internet, which can be very good if the information is accurate, but very bad if it’s malicious intel.
Or maybe it’s because it is easier to ‘have a voice’ through the internet? Traditional news media pipelines go from writer to a couple of editors who point out mistakes and possible lapses in logic. Whereas with the internet, anyone can make statements, regardless of whether it was properly sourced, maliciously manipulated, or ‘researched’ while taking a dump.
Whatever the cause is, the task of deprogramming a populace from propaganda is gargantuan. Sure, traditional media can help undo this, but factual information that is easily accessible and digestible is best served with the internet by proper and qualified professionals, scientists and journalists. But as first aid, we need to take out the burning populace out of the frying social media pan of fake news - and it starts with you, reader. Time to delete your profile from that platform did little to amend their mistakes while profiting from the discord they help sow.
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