What Students Can Do to Stop Fake News and Disinformation in The Philippines’ Media

An endemic has been plaguing Filipino society for a while now, frequently making its appearance in Facebook walls, twitter feeds, and the Reddit scene. This disease to society being the widespread of fake news, slander, and disinformation throughout social media notably made popular by none other than former Assistant Secretary of the PCOO Mocha Uson.

From the beginning of her appointment, Uson has done nothing except make a mockery out of the Presidential Communications Operations Office by posting inappropriate, vulgar and disrespectful videos on her Facebook blog such as the infamous “Pepedederalismo” video where her and her co blogger, Drew Olivar, promote the system of Federalism through the means of a vulgar dance and the time she disrespected individuals who are deaf through another Facebook video where she and the same co blogger mimic the gestures of deaf individuals communicating through sign language.

What are we prepared to do about the president’s appointee? One way to do something about it is we should stop. Mocha Uson is one of the current trends in the Internet with all her idiocy in the government such as useless reactions towards national issues such as Federalism and her blind, undying support to President Rodrigo Duterte that as we all know is the reason why she was put in her position as Assistant Secretary to the Presidential Communications Operations Office. But let’s face it, little do we know that Uson as a trend is a threat to all of us. The problem with making fun of her and judging her for the wrongdoings only bring her up to what she wants: popularity – to be recognized by anyone. According to Lu, social media platform is the strongest weapon for her to showcase what she wants especially that it has 49 million Filipinos online to see her live video streaming regardless of what topic she’s sharing. We shouldn’t act as if we’re supporting her by sharing who she is and what she has done despite how bad it is. We should know that trying to falsify and humiliate her does the contrary, boosting her fame in a good way. Admit it or not, most voters would rather go for someone they know than go for standards. Most people would rather rely to a familiar face than a believer of change.

Being students, the generation Z and the biggest group of social media consumers, we should recognize the things we share, to critically think about how we can contribute by not contributing to the crowd who shows false admiration to Former PCOO Asec. Mocha Uson. The solution can be long-term if we can follow few of the specific STOP things related to taking no part towards contributing to Uson’s possible chance of winning this coming senate elections: STOP sharing her memes. Memes are pictures with Mocha’s face with captions written on it or used in a diagram that displays funny strips for entertainment. This causes some who sees it to laugh but also some to find amazement and think that she actually creates a point or displays bravery because some people can be easy as that.

STOP talking about her. The more people put her name online, the more times we use her a symbol, the bigger possibility she gets out there. People might think that the more she’s talk about, the more significant she is to our society.

STOP humiliating her. Stop even if it’s difficult. She might deserve it but we can’t because I remember a friend whom I once told of her mistakes and yet rather than agreement, I received the judgment. Why? Because there are people who thinks she deserves the chance and she only fails at times because she’s only human. In other words, let’s STOP making actions about her because that would mean we’re actually doing things for her.

Aside from this, making use of social media can also be a powerful solution to prevent inexperienced individuals from getting elected. According John Hopkins website, social media sites spread news faster than regular news outlets or other source of information. With the help of different online platforms like Facebook and Twitter, spreading information can be done in a very fast and efficient way. In relation to this, we can create publication materials such as posters and infographics that can educate the viewers about the danger of fake news and the risk of having undeserving officials in our government. Posting these materials online and sharing them to the public can make a difference with the way people think about choosing their candidates. In simple ways like this, we can somehow lessen the chances of having unworthy public officials.

At the end of the day, the most young students such as us can do to mitigate the damage that can be caused by influential individuals such as Mocha Uson and other individuals who peddle false information is to not let them be widespread in the first place by not only avoiding to share them, but to encourage peers to do the same. Attention, be it good or bad can be a powerful tool, especially when it comes to politics in the Philippines. If we want Uson not to make it all the way to the senate, then we must remove her platform to gain attention and more followers by not giving her attention anymore.