Hontiveros: Fight vs. fake news will only gain ground if made online, fun

Fighting fake news and disinformation online can only gain ground by using the same platform to ferret out facts in a fun way, opposition leaders said over the weekend.

Senator Risa Hontiveros made the observation during the 14th Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Assembly in Iloilo City held in cooperation with the Centre for Liberalism and Democracy (CLD), Liberal Party (LP) of the Philippines and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Southeast and East Asia (FNF SEEA).

“We need to know who we want to speak to, learn their language, and meet them where they are. If they are on TikTok, we need to amplify our presence there. If they get their news on YouTube, we need to start uploading more information there,” Hontiveros said.

“If Facebook messenger is where everyone is talking, we should also be starting conversations there. I cannot stress enough how we here today, including our supporters and spheres of  influence, should consciously remove ourselves from the temptations of a political  reality that affirms our own beliefs and biases,” she added.

Hontiveros noted that the fake news industry online, which has become a money making machine, will not be exterminated by individual reporting of a fake news or disinformation post as harmful content.

“Fighting disinformation will take more than our individual efforts to take down posts, report platforms, or bust bots. We should also accept that inasmuch as we see technology and social media giants as  contributors to the failures of our democracy, these remain to be platforms that the general public, the people we serve, our citizens, enjoy,” she said.

“If we were to build a stronger  defense against disinformation, we have to reach and talk to the public in a way that they can relate to and find joy in. We in the opposition must strive to change the political environment in order to win the  hearts and minds of the people. We can in fact use these tools — the internet,  technology, social networks — to not only broaden our appeal to the masses but also to  protect our democratic values,” she added.

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas reported that Phil Bennion, vice president of Liberal International and former member of European Parliament from the United Kingdom, agreed that social media platforms have become such a big influencer and, at times, for the worse.

“Technology has changed the speed to which you can get untruths turned into truths or pseudo truths believed by masses of people,” Bennion said.

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio noted that most of those posting wrong information online are using dummy accounts.

"Today, libelous comments pollute our online platforms together with disinformation intended to people to act against their interest. All this kind of toxic disinformation is always posted by fake users on online platforms," he said.

Former Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon, for his part, stressed that fighting disinformation is worth it.

“We are not just fighting against disinformation. We are fighting to preserve our democratic way of life, our freedom, our rights, our dignity as human beings,” he said.

Hontiveros then said that the delight brought by the campaign rallies of former Vice President Leni Robredo during her 2022 presidential campaign is already a start, given that a lot of artists and actors have volunteered to support the latter’s cause for good governance and fight against online disinformation.

“Perhaps we can start hosting regular, entertaining events that the public can join, where we not only talk about strategies on battling mis- and disinformation, but where everyone can also simply relax and enjoy; where we can offer relief from difficulties; where we can provide hope,” she said.—Llanesca Panti/AOL, GMA Integrated News