The world we live in today is vastly different from the one we grew up in. Every day, we are bombarded with news that was once unimaginable – wars, environmental destruction, pandemics, natural disasters, and countless other catastrophes. However, if we dig deeper, we often find ourselves confronted with fake news and conspiracy theories. This is why I tend to rely on traditional sources of news like newspapers and TV rather than the internet or social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram.
Throughout history, there have always been individuals who try to deceive the masses. Dr. Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, was a master of manipulation. Sadly, even today, there are people who believe that Adolf Hitler “wasn’t that bad” or that the Holocaust didn’t happen. This is similar to the claims of a “stolen election” in the United States in 2020, despite Joe Biden receiving millions more votes than Donald Trump.
In the Philippines, these conspiracy theories can be even more dangerous when adapted to local issues. Almost 79 percent of Filipinos get their news from Facebook, making it crucial to protect people from being misinformed. One solution could be to regulate the internet and its most influential platforms. If there is dangerous misinformation circulating (such as false claims about vaccinations or the effectiveness of ivermectin against COVID-19), it should be censored or at least accompanied by a prominent warning. We cannot afford to raise a generation of ignorant individuals who make dangerous choices that put their lives at risk. Perhaps creating a new state call center agency dedicated to monitoring and regulating online content could be a viable job creation measure.
Jürgen Schöfer Ph.D., [email protected]
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