The internet has been both boon and bane for society. While it has allowed people to access a virtually unlimited source of information, it has also become a place where misinformation and disinformation can be easily spread. This is further exacerbated by the rise of social media, where anything can be shared to one’s own circles in just a single click.
The need to fight against wrong information is especially significant during this time of pandemic. Fake news — whether borne out of willful ignorance or misguided intentions, can have negative consequences. Because of this, independent media outfit FYT has partnered with Google and other industry professionals in holding a webinar to help debunk false claims, teach participants how to spot fake news, and how they can use tools available in the internet to fact check dubious claims.
Department of Health (DOH)Health Policy Planning and Development Bureau, Health Research Division Chief Dr. Beverly Ho discussed how vaccines are created and what its functions are during her talk. She noted that vaccines are meant to teach the body to defend itself when it is infected by the virus. “We have to think of vaccines like a practice or rehearsal for the body. It prepares our body for the time we meet the actual virus,” she shared.
Dr. Ho also allayed fears that vaccines are harmful to people. “Before the DOH rolled out the vaccines and gave permission for it to be used for the public, several studies have already been done, with tens of thousands of participants per vaccine brand,” she added.
Meanwhile, veteran journalist and UP Diliman Professor Yvonne Chua outlined the difference between misinformation and disinformation. “Misinformation is essentially, the spread of false, inaccurate, or misleading information without the intent to hurt or harm others. It can be a prank or satire. Disinformation is the more malicious counterpart. It is the spread of wrong information with the aim of confusing the general public and cause harm to others,” she explained.
And while both categories might differ due to their intent, both misinformation and disinformation are rooted on the spread of wrong information. Because of this, being able to spot them in our social media is a valuable skill in the fight against fake news. “One of the characteristics of misinformation and disinformation is that they prey on our emotions.
In these narratives, they want you to be angry or fearful. Other signs that posts are misleading include hyperboles, statements like ‘the media did not report this’, or claims using sources and studies but not citing the specific studies or sources. These are some indicators that what you’re seeing is possibly misinformation or disinformation” Chua added.
More than just dismissing fake news, people must also learn to factcheck claims that they find dubious. Doing so helps stop the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Google News Labs Teaching Fellow and former journalist Trinna Leong shared how people can use the internet to fact check information. “One of the tools people can use is the Google Fact Check Explorer. It compiles the different fact checks published by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN),” she said.
For those who want to personally fact check other claims that might not have been done by others, there are several ways to do so. Leong said that this can be done through the use of google search operators, finding the timestamps of uploaded pictures and videos, and doing reverse image searches using sites such as Google, Yandex, Tineye, and other similar sites.
The rapid spread of false information has led to the birth of the term “infodemic”, a portmanteau of “information” and “epidemic”. As facts, rumors, and fears mix and disperse, it becomes difficult to learn essential information about an issue. Because of this, becoming more discerning of what we consume in social media has become a paramount concern. By arming ourselves with the tools and the knowledge to combat fake news, we too can help in the fight.
“Social media has really changed our information landscape dramatically. This is an age where anyone can do what a professional journalist does, because what we do in social media has the potential to affect the lives of others… The principles of journalism are becoming increasingly relevant to everyone, whether you’re a reporter, a vlogger, or a casual user of social media. We should always strive for truthfulness, for fairness, and accountability,” journalist and FYT cofounder Atom Araullo said.
