UP Open University (UPOU) OPEN Talk 21 featured the current status of the country in terms of disinformation in line with the upcoming national and local election on 18 March 2022.
The said talk featured notable speakers in the field of media, academe, and data science. These are Dr. Joane V. Serrano, previous Director of the UPOU Office of Public Affairs and now Dean of Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS); Mr. Bash Yumol, Data Scientist and Member of Computer Professionals’ Union (CPU); and Prof. Eileen G. Meneses, Faculty Member of the Department of Humanities, UP Los Baños.
The webinar discussed the various effects of disinformation on the political awareness of Filipinos, the reasons why disinformation is continuously spreading, and how it can be halted. The event was hosted by Asst. Prof. Ria Valerie Cabanes of the UPOU FMDS and moderated by Mr. Ian Raphael Lopez from the UPLB Perspective.
Disinformation, Misinformation, and Fake News
Dr. Serrano defined of disinformation, misinformation, and fake news. “Ang disinformation ay false o maling information na ginagawa na may intensyon talaga para makasira sa isang tao, isang social group o organization, o isang bansa (Disinformation refers to false or incorrect information that is being producing with the intent to destroy a person, a social group or organization, or a country).”
Moreover, she shared that a person who spreads disinformation is aware that the information and data being disseminated are false, similar to fake news which copies the format of formal news media outlets to circulate fictitious news. These two are different from misinformation, wherein a person sharing false information is not aware of the falseness of such news.
Widespread of disinformation
According to Dr. Serrano, the youth today cannot point out what is true information from what is not. Because of this, there is a continuous spread of fake news that people often see on social media.
“Malinformation ang tawag sa totoong impormasyon na minamali upang manira, (twisting right information for it to be wrong is called Malinformation),” according to Mr. Yumol. “Filipinos don’t have a culture of science [and] a culture of data yet,” he added. Thus, he sees that it is one of the reasons why there is rampant disinformation in the country.
On the other hand, Prof. Meneses mentioned that the recently released surveys about the upcoming election could show certainty that disinformation is already extensive. This is also due to some people that do not believe in the survey results based on various “sortie” or “election rallies” people witness.
The expansion of disinformation in the country is said to be chronic due to various online platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok that almost all have access to. Such spread of fake news and disinformation is indeed alarming.
Counter-Disinformation
Mr. Yumol shared that it is important to teach and enlighten people about information literacy to combat disinformation.
According to Dr. Serrano, [online] users must be cautious. It is advised to know who is the creator and the source of the news or information before sharing them. Dr. Serrano added that people need to know the credibility of the proponent of news before believing it. In terms of research and the discussion of Prof. Meneses, the more relatable the narrative is to the masses, the more likely it is to be believed by many despite it being untrue, uncertain, or sometimes wrong.
Supporting Open Source software and technology could help in combating disinformation according to Mr. Yumol. Dr. Serrano said that digital media and information literacy is important “lalo na sa mga bata upang labanan and dismpormasyon, (especially to the youth to combat disinformation).” It is essential to focus on building a strong foundation of information. Creating policies and narratives to counter disinformation are needed to be established to combat its spread, shared by Prof. Meneses.
The speakers concluded the session in agreement that there are a lot of possible solutions to halting the spread of disinformation in the country, especially on social media. People need to be vigilant, critical, and open to all circulating information and learn how to determine what’s true from what is not, and what new information outlets have the credibility to what do not.
The recordings of this OpenTalk can be watched via https://networks.upou.edu.ph/opentalk or https://www.facebook.com/UPOpenUniversityNetwork.
Sustainable Development Goals
Written by Alessa Shainne Hostalero
Edited by Myra C. Almodiel and Anna Cañas-Llamas
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