By Chelsea David
A communications specialist cautioned the students about the proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation in social media that may negatively affect the decisions of voters in the upcoming National Elections 2022.
During the online webinar titled, “Digital World and Democracy: The Role of Social Media in the 2022 Elections” on March 19, communications specialist John Derrick Ordoñez educated youth voters on how misinformation and disinformation build informed-decisions.
He urged student voters to avoid ad hominem remarks when battling against misinformation and disinformation.
“We have to elevate the level of discourse… patungkol sa gaganapin na eleksyon. Ilatag kung anuman ang mga accomplishment [at] nagawa. Kung ‘yun ang tamang kandidato, suportahan natin dahil naniniwala tayo sa isang magandang bukas,” Ordoñez reminded.
He also mentioned to do fact-checking about the sources being disseminated in different platforms of social media especially in TikTok that is widely used by the youth.
“[Sa] fact-checking, titignan natin kung tama ba ang mga fact at information na inilabas ng mga politiko na ito. Are they even backed up by reliable sources, eh baka sinabi lang ito ng lolo at lola. So titignan sa kabilang banda kung ito ba ay talagang nangyari o totoo,” he said.
Ordoñez then emphasized that the elections in 2016 may repeat itself when President Rodrigo Duterte was hailed with the highest position in the elections due to the massive influence of social media.
“Six years ago, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was tagged as the first ever social media president of the Philippines. Bakit? Kasi napakalaki raw ng naging ambag ng social media sa pagkapanalo bilang pangulo… Ibig sabihin nu’n, kayang-kaya gawin ‘yan ngayon at mas kakayanin,” he told.
Ordoñez advised the youth voters, “[People] don’t have access to journals [and] books that [are] publishing the truth[s], facts and information. They only have their mobile device and data to access these kinds of information. So dapat ang makikita nila in social media ay tama at totoo.”The upcoming National Elections is set on May 9 with 56 percent youth voters between the age bracket of 18 and 41 as of Feb. 8, 2022.
