The ills of social media

Initially, social media was meant to help people connect with their friends and loved ones who are unable to meet face-to-face due to geographical distance by using digital technology. The various platforms have become useful tools in sharing ideas or exchanging information through virtual networks and online communities.

It is just unbelievable how social media has evolved from 30 years ago when there was very little of the internet compared to what it is today. So many new platforms have come out, making it a worldwide phenomenon. Unfortunately, social media has also become the source of all sorts of trash and fake news, enabling criminals to engage in hacking, cyberbullying, financial scams and other kinds of cybercrimes that can destroy the reputation of individuals and institutions – even the fabric of society – particularly with the advent of generative AI technology that has the capability to generate fake text messages and videos.

As a natural consequence, the target of any kind of fake news is always the political leadership. Such was the case of PBBM who was recently the subject of nasty disinformation being circulated online that he was rushed to the hospital due to a medical emergency.

While the President laughingly dismissed the fake news as complete nonsense, a lot of people privately expressed their concern about the spread of false information through social media platforms that could easily undermine the country’s economy, bringing about a stock market crash.

It’s understandable why many countries, especially the United States, are extremely concerned about the use of AI and social media platforms to spread disinformation. Just a few days ago, the US accused Russian state media executives of engaging in a widespread campaign to spread disinformation and influence the outcome of the November presidential election by sowing discord and creating confusion among voters.

The US Justice Department said two executives of Russian state media company RT – formerly known as Russia Today – secretly paid close to $10 million to a Tennessee-based content creation company to produce English-language videos with “hidden Russian government messaging” and spread these to US audiences through social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. The RT executives have been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Prosecutors said that in YouTube alone, the almost 2,000 videos that have been posted have received 16 million views.

According to White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, Russia’s agenda was aimed at reducing international support for Ukraine, bolstering pro-Russian policies and interests and influencing US voters. “RT is no longer just a propaganda arm of the Kremlin… It’s being used to advance covert Russian influence actions,” Kirby said.

But it’s not only Russia that is being accused of using social media to spread disinformation and sow division. According to a report by intelligence company Graphika, a long-running Chinese state-linked influence operation known as “Spamouflage” is using fake accounts and impersonating US voters, including soldiers, to post about contentious issues and amplify political divisions, targeting both Democrats and Republicans.

Graphika’s chief intelligence officer Jake Stubbs said China is “engaging in these more advanced deceptive behaviors and directly targeting these organic but hyper-sensitive social rifts… to portray the US as this declining global power with weak political leadership and a failing system of governance.”

In the Philippines, the biggest fake news comes from malign actors propagating disinformation, engaging in influence operations to divide the people and undermine our national security, coming out with deepfake videos impersonating the President and alleging all sorts of disinformation.

A most recent example of disinformation is the claim by the China Coast Guard that it rescued Philippine personnel who fell overboard after a collision between a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel and a CCG vessel at Escoda Shoal.

This claim was refuted by the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea as “completely unfounded,” saying that the BFAR vessel was targeted by a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy ship. “This fake news and misinformation serves as a clear illustration of the PRC’s willingness to distort the truth and engage in disinformation to bolster its public image,” the task force asserted.

It’s a good thing that we have been very transparent about the continuing harassment of China in the West Philippine Sea, with the Philippine Coast Guard doing a great job in exposing the aggressive behavior of Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels – so no matter how much China tries to change the narrative, they can’t really fool around with the truth because it is there for people to see.

As President Marcos has warned, “the battlefield is changing,” with new threats to our nation’s security that require the military to be equipped with skills for “digital warfare.”

With the 2025 elections drawing near, we can expect more fake news and AI-generated deepfakes to spread across social media to mislead voters and influence the result of the midterm elections.

The good news is that legitimate media outlets are intensifying efforts against fake news by monitoring disinformation and reporting against influence operations in the Philippines. Just recently, major media organizations signed a pledge to fight fake news which, according to a 2022 Pulse Asia survey, is regarded as “a problem” by about 90 percent of Filipinos.

Admittedly, social media use is prevalent but if it continues to be utilized for disinformation, it could eventually self-destruct because of the kind of garbage coming out from those engaged in influence operations. And so long as mainstream media maintains its credibility, Filipinos will most likely rely on them for real news – and not “Marites” stories.

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