Truth in Digital Media

There have been various problems emerging in the media since the rise of the global internet. While technology has brought about progress, certain problems come with it. We are living in a strange time where the internet makes the spread of information unreliable. The internet has a lot to do with this since it has become one of the fastest and best publishers. Since anyone with a blog can post, it makes online content trickier and questionable.

One of the problems is the quick spreading of false news generated by fake accounts for propaganda. Data mining has been used to sway behaviors of netizens which is tied with the Cambridge Analytica scandal. There is also the foreseeable circulation of misinformation that is connected with the rise of AI through Deepfakes. Along with all those things, clickbait news sites have been an ongoing concern that share exaggerated headlines.

With all these false information flying around online, doesn’t it make the truth more valuable, more important to seek, and protect?

On Truth Telling

But what is the truth exactly? Adults are especially aware that there is a whole spectrum ranging from what we know to be total dishonesty to pure truth. There is radical honesty, white and blue (morally acceptable) lies, and self-deception. The whole idea of truth can be complicated. In the case of specific professions such as doctors, or lawyers, and journalists, there has to be an objective truth. Truth in the media is crucial because it closes the gap between the government and the masses. Media does this by capturing and analyzing pieces of information and sharing them for public knowledge. Media and news serves as check-and-balance between the people and the administration.

Lately, there has been no congruency between the government and some media companies in the Philippines. While the Philippines is a small country, it tells a story on the war on truth. It also serves as a cautionary tale.

There’s a two-hour documentary called “A Thousand Cuts” that narrates what is happening with the Philippine Press today versus the current administration. It features Rappler, an online news site and its CEO, Maria Ressa. Ressa was Time Magazine's person of the year during 2018 for being a “Guardian of Truth.”

Rappler has been telling stories about the “War on Drugs” that the Philippines’ President Duterte has been propagating. It published information about the people killed by giving them names, exposing the policemen involved, and shedding some light on what was happening. Because of this, the news company has been a constant target of the administration. During this time, there have been also alternative news sites popping up and spreading fake news through trolls or Duterte loyalists. This has divided or polarized the society and its political views.

In the documentary, Ressa explains why the world should be concerned about what happens in the Philippines. Ressa states that the Filipino netizens spend the most time on the internet. They are online for more than 10 hours a day, especially on social media. Ressa shares a conversation with Cambridge Analytica whistleblower named Christopher Wylie. Wylie revealed to Ressa that they tested how to manipulate the US in the Philippines, and other countries in the global south. Ressa shares, “They did that because we don’t have strong governments. They can get away with impunity. If it worked in our country, they would 'port' it over to the US.” What usually happens in the US happens to the rest of the world.

Ressa expresses that we are in this horrific moment, if nothing significant is done, journalism which is tied with democracy will be dead in the Philippine Republic.

When news sources such as journalists and entire media franchises are being threatened or shut down for speaking up, it cuts the source of reliable information and makes the public ignorant.

Misleading Media

There are also other issues that we need to be aware of which people can protect themselves against misinformation. One of the issues is fake news, spread through Facebook. The tech company has faced issues of data mining and spreading false news. It has faced fire with the Cambridge Analytica scandal. One of the root causes of this is that Facebook does not fact check the groups, pages, accounts made. Also, their site algorithm works on targeting specific groups or demographics. This means that other people cannot view certain content unless they are aimed to view it specifically. According to Politco.com, Facebook has tried to address this, but they haven't solved this problem entirely. The online platform continues to spread fake news about Corona Virus which people have been reporting. There is also the case of Artificial Intelligence and the spread of Deepfakes. While AI has some exciting, useful, or entertaining applications, it also comes with complications. In the

YouTube video called, “Deepfake Videos Are Getting Terrifyingly Real,” the NOVA PBS channel shared concern about “Deepfakes." AI technology can be used to sway political campaigns. A candidate's video can be manipulated to share a different message. In some cases, there is only a short margin needed to determine which candidate will win. Some people don’t know how to spot deepfakes yet, and it will be easy to deceive them.

There are also sneaky little ways that do not tell the whole perspective of things by condensing information through clickbait and listicles. Back in 2015, the BBC shared an article about this topic. It said that writing a good headline is a required skill and golden rule in journalism. Journalists need to grab a reader’s attention so they can read the full article. In the age of technology, it has become a cheap trick known to bait people through sensationalized headlines. Some articles turn out to be advertorials that online publishers have been using for profit. Furthermore, people do not have the attention span to go through a long story, thus the hashtag #TLDR (too long didn't read). More news sites have been taking advantage of this by publishing shorter and shorter stories or listicles which leaves out a lot of valuable information that makes some articles inaccurate.

Fighting the False

It is a bit surprising that the way to fight the false is through the same technology that created it, which is the internet. While it is good to hold the publishers and social media platforms accountable, it is to our disadvantage if we rely on them all the time. We cannot stop deepfakes and we wouldn't want to cancel it for some of its entertainment purposes. It is good to know that more significant issues tied with fake media are addressed by companies and scientists. There’s a website called, “Serelay.” Serelay.com is partnered with Google to verify if picture or video is real or edited for online news sites. There are also advocates like Tristan Harris who shares discussions if the truth can survive big tech. Harris is a former Design Ethicists for Google, who has been dubbed as the “conscience of Silicon Valley.”

On a personal level, we have to be educated and aware of what is true or not, and what is happening in the media at this digital age. Sites like “Snopes.com” have helped with identifying facts vs. myth. Twitter CEO also encourages people to read articles first before sharing them. Articles from The Verge shares some helpful tips on how to internet fact-check news. The First Step is to know when to be worried. It helps to identify if you have a strong emotional reaction, or if an article seems ridiculous, or if you want to amplify a story immediately. The second step is to check the link through firsthand sources. It can be verified through press releases, timestamps, or other documents. A person can even go further to weigh the evidences.

It can be tedious to check misinformation and disinformation, but the truth is valuable, especially when you dig up something of great importance. Fact-checking does help with critical thinking by looking at things through different sources and angles to see if a story adds up. By doing this, you learn to separate what is significant and useless. Knowing the truth lets you think about how it can affect you, your decisions, and others around you.

Sources:

Pic from unsplash.com

Truth Telling • https://time.com/5793800/maria-ressa-the-guardians-100-women-of-the-year/ • https://variety.com/2020/film/asia/doc-edge-thousand-cuts-maria-ressa-documentary-prize-1234642455/ Misleading Media • https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2020/03/21/facebook-spreads-fake-news-faster-than-any-other- social-website-according-to-new-research/#65ada5db6e1a • https://www.wired.com/story/inside-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-2-years-of-hell/?mbid=amp-story •https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/16/facebook-fake-news-coronavirus-190054 • https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/13/what-are-deepfakes-and-how-can-you- spot-them • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T76bK2t2r8g&feature=youtu.be • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-34213693 Fighting the False • https://www.theverge.com/21276897/fake-news-facebook-twitter-misinformation-lies-fact-check-how-to- internet-guide • https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/06/10/twitter-begins-asking-users-to-actually-read- articles-before-sharing-them/#6c8693f266a3