‘All of society needs to defend the truth all the time’

ILOILO CIT Y: All of society needs to defend the truth by applying various weapons, according to various participants in the international conference seeking to “build a democratic coalition against disinformation.”

Phil Bennion, vice president of Liberal International, suggested that pro-truth political leaders counter disinformation “consistently and more aggressively and robustly” and not only during electoral campaigns.

“Don’t wait until the campaign. Present a positive vision. Counter everything with the same tenacity during campaigns between elections. Don’t let false statements pass. We have to dig down. We have to dig deep and do it consistently then truth can win over disinformation,” said Bennion, a former member of the European Parliament representing the United Kingdom.

Former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who filed a cyberlibel case against Google for allowing libelous posts on its YouTube platform, said government, the private sector, academe, the advertising industry, young people, and other stakeholders must come together to address the challenges of disinformation.

Pangilinan cited a statement from big business groups expressing their alarm over social media abuse through the spread of lies, personal attacks, trolling, misogyny, and red-tagging in December 2021.

Former Senate president Franklin Drilon said the problem is global with significant implications on the future of democracy and the observance of human rights and the rule of law.

“In a world of digital disinformation, everyone has become vulnerable — to being a target and unwitting purveyor of disinformation/misinformation, to data hacking and harvesting, to cyberattacks and cyberbullying, even surveillance and censorship,” Drilon said.

Drilon cited the disinformation campaigns that ran parallel to the recently concluded elections in the US and Brazil, as well as in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the upcoming local elections in Taiwan.

Former associate justice Antonio Carpio said the internet has amplified freedom of expression and libel, disinformation, and misleading of others. He said what is needed is amplified responsibility.