How to deal with false information online: Do not share it, report it!

False information, or fake news, continues to spread online despite the many efforts of the authorities and experts to stop it. As technology advances, its sources have become more creative, expanding fake news to take various forms and style as articles, social media posts, images, and videos.

Thus, it continues to mislead people to make misguided decisions which can cause financial losses and social problems. Fake news can also stoke discrimination, racial and religious tension, and can even trigger violent acts. And it can cause distrust of all news sources, including legitimate media.

Because of its danger to society, there are now many private and public organizations that have launched campaigns against false information.

One campaign pushes a simple way to prevent the spread of false information: Do not share it, report it.

That is the slogan that was coined by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in its program on Media and Information Literacy. The initiative aims to equip teachers in state universities and colleges (SUCS) and public schools to teach students how to combat fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

The PCO launched the campaign last August with the Department of Education (Deped), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as its key partners in the public sector.

Last week, at the “Maging Mapanuri” conference, the PCO gave a simple “Stop and Spot” guide to prevent the spread of misinformation. The first is to “stop and spot the source” – Is it coming from a credible source? The second is to “stop and spot the purpose” – Is this information just trending or really sharing valuable information? The third is to “stop and spot the time” – Is it old and irrelevant information?

Misinformation also leads to cyber fraud and financial losses. To help Filipinos from falling victims to this, Manila Bulletin’s Scam Watch Pilipinas (#Scamwatchph), launched in August, encourages netizens to always check facts peddled by information in social media.

If you are unsure whether a story is real, especially when it sounds too good to be true, try fact-checking it using reputable sources such as mainstream news organizations.

Scam Watch Pilipinas especially reminds readers to be wary of headlines. “Fake news headlines often use sensational language. Be critical of headlines and read the full story before sharing it.”

It is a fact that some readers share false information as an innocent act of wanting to pass on what the reader believes is information that is true and can help others. Then, there are some who consciously share fake news with a note warning readers about the misinformation. Unfortunately, sharing any fake news even with a warning, still contributes to spreading misinformation.

If you see a fake news story shared by a friend or family member, talk to them about it. Explain why the story is fake and encourage them to be more critical of the information they see online.

MB’S campaign recommends that if it is a post in Facebook, click the three dots on top of the page to open options, one of them ‘report post’ where you can submit an explanation why you think the post is fake news.

Remember, the beginning of the end of fake news is literally in your hands: Do not share it, report it!