#KailanganTotoo: Our platform, our responsibility

As we head into the 2022 elections, social media continues to be weaponized by those who spread fake news and disinformation. Every storyteller has a role to play in fighting disinformation and pushing for truth. If you have a platform, you have a responsibility.

In partnership with PumaPodcast and artists Rob Cham, Cj de Silva-Ong, Tarantadong Kalbo, and Hulyen, VERA Files pledges: #KailanganTotoo.

#KailanganTotoo, kaya kailangan mag-verify bago i-share.

#KailanganTotoo, kaya maging mapanuri sa pagpasok sa mga endorsement at partnership.

#KailanganTotoo, kaya dapat magpakatotoo sa mga realidad sa ating lipunan.

Whether you’re a podcaster, journalist, influencer, content creator, TikToker, educator, or even a private personality, we must use our online platforms for truth. We invite you, no matter how big or small your platform is, to join the movement and pledge to use your platform responsibly.

Share the artists’ work and the easy to follow fact checking guide below with your own story, and invite your friends to do the same!

VERA Files’ #KailanganTotoo fact checking guide:‍

ENGLISH‍

1. Rely on credible sources.

• Get your information from people who have the authority to speak on a certain issue. Whenever possible, the information must be first-hand or
  from that source itself.
• For election-related information, go to the Comelec website or follow its official social media channels. As a bonus: Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez and Commissioner Rowena Guanzon are very responsive to questions on Twitter, so follow them!
• Remember, CTTO or “credits to the owner” is NOT a credible source.
• Get to know your sources of information before sharing anything from them: Who are they? Are they experts on the topic? What have they said. Also consider, are they trying to sell you something?

2. Consume news, and triangulate.

• Improve your diet of information by reading and watching the news from legitimate media outlets. Visit news websites and make sure you’re following their official social media accounts.
• Triangulate. If you’re unsure about the truthfulness of a report, look for two other media reports that say the same thing.
• Be wary of YouTube channels, Facebook pages and TikTok accounts that pretend to be news sources (some even carry the word “News” in their name!). Notice if they’ve been promoting an ideology, a political party or candidate. Watch out for sensational headlines (“Shocking!” “Di na nahiya!” “Lagot na!!”) — this is a red flag.

3. Keep your emotions and biases in check.

• Disinformation is designed to trigger your emotions — to make you happy, angry, or sad. Before believing a piece of content, calm yourself first. Then ask: Is this true?
• Each of us have our own opinions, beliefs and biases. But the next time you encounter a post that aligns with these (like “Ah! That sounds like Politician X would say” or “I believe they finished x degree”), take a moment to check it out. You might be falling for disinformation.

4. Don’t share posts without fact-checking.

• If you’ve shared or forwarded a post that later on turned out to be false, you’ve become a source of misinformation. Even though you weren’t the original publisher, you amplified the wrong information even without meaning to do so.
• Make Google (or Bing or DuckDuckGo or whichever browser you prefer) your friend. Check out what other credible sources say about a topic. Another thing to keep in mind: Have there been fact check articles written about it?
• Do reverse image search to get the original context behind a photo: When was it shot and who was the photographer who took it? What’s the event being shown? Was the context changed in the version of the picture circulating on social media? Was it doctored?
• It’s better not to share a post if you’re unsure about its truthfulness. You can also send it to fact checkers so they can look into it. Get it #VERAfied!

‍TAGLISH

1. Kumuha ng impormasyon mula sa mga credible o mapagkakatiwalaan na source.

• Ang mga pinagkukunan mo ng impormasyong tungkol sa isang bagay o isyu, dapat authoritative o galing mismo sa mga tao o institusyon na may “k” magsalita tungkol dito.
• Pagdating sa impormasyon na may kinalaman sa eleksyon, bisitahin ang Comelec website o i-follow ang kanilang official social media channels. Bilang bonus: active sina Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez at Commissioner Rowena Guanzon sa pagsagot sa mga tanong sa Twitter, kaya i-follow na sila!
• Tandaan, ang CTTO or “credits to the owner” ay HINDI credible source.
• Kilalanin ang iyong sources bago mag-share ng impormasyon mula sa kanila: Sino sila? Expert ba sila sa topic na ‘to? Ano na ang sinabi o isinulat nila tungkol dito? May history ba sila sa pagiging source ng disinformation? I-consider din, mayroon ba silang ibinebenta sa ‘yo?

2. Makibalita sa media, at mag-triangulate.

• I-improve ang iyong dieta ng impormasyon sa pamamagitan ng pagbabasa at pakikinig sa balita mula sa legitimate media outlets. Bisitahin ang mga news website, at siguraduhing naka-follow kayo sa kanilang opisyal na social media account.
• Triangulate. Kung may pag-aalinlangan ka sa katotohanan ng isang report, maghanap ng at least dalawa pang media report tungkol dito.
• Mag-ingat sa mga YouTube channel, Facebook page and TikTok account na nagkukunwaring media (ang iba rito may salitang “news” o “balita” sa pangalan!). Pansinin kung may pinu-promote silang ideolohiya, political party o kandidato. Red flag ang mga sensational na headline katulad ng “Shocking!” “Di na nahiya!” at “Lagot na!!”

3. Keep your emotions and biases in check.

• Ang disinformation, designed ‘yan para ma-trigger ka — pwedeng para pasayahin, galitin o kaya’y palungkutin ka. Bago paniwalaan ang isang post, kumalma ka muna. Pagkatapos, itanong: totoo kaya ito?
• Lahat tayo’y may sari-sariling opinyon, paniniwala at mga bias. Pero sa susunod na makakita ka ng post na sobrang sumasang-ayon dito (gaya ng “Ah! Talagang sasabihin ni Pulitiko X ito” o “Naniniwala akong nakapagtapos siya ng x degree”), take a moment to check it out. Baka disinformation na pala iyan.

4. ‘Wag mag-share ng post nang ‘di nagpa-fact check.

• Kapag nag-share o forward ka ng isang post na mali o misleading na sa kalaunan ay malalaman mong inaccurate pala, naging source ka na ng misinformation. Hindi man ikaw ang orihinal na publisher, tumulong ka sa pagkalat ng maling impormasyon, kahit hindi mo ito intensyon.
• Gawing kaibigan si Google (o Bing o DuckDuckGo o kung anumang browser ang hilig mong gamitin). Alamin kung ano ang sinasabi ng ibang credible source tungkol sa isang topic. Isa pang pwedeng tingnan: may mga fact check article na ba tungkol dito?
• Mag-reverse image search para malaman ang orihinal na konteksto ng isang larawan: kailan ito kinunan at sino ang photographer? Ano ang event na ipinakikita? Dinoktor ba ang version na kasalukuyang umiikot sa social media?
• Kung ‘di ka sigurado sa katotohanan ng isang post, mas mainam na huwag nalang itong i-share. Pwede mo rin itong ipadala sa mga fact checker para matingnan nila ito. #IpaVERAfyNaYan

This article was first published on PumaPodcast. Read it here.