#CourageON: Pushing back against disinformation

What can we do to push back against disinformation?

With the 2022 Philippine elections coming up and the pandemic still around, the spread of disinformation reinforces hate and polarization online, creates distrust against institutions, and makes it difficult for people to discern what’s truthful and authentic. Social media trolls have also made it harder for people to have meaningful conversations and political discourse.

Disinformation, especially the kind that leads to harm, has also hampered journalists and activists, to continue the work that they do.

Because of these, the effects of online disinformation have spurred both local and global groups to collaborate around initiatives on media and information literacy and efforts aimed at cultivating a culture of fact-checking on social media.

As disinformation continues to bring real-life harm to people, what can we do to protect ourselves from abuse and manipulation online? How exactly does disinformation affect communities? How can the public take part in these initiatives?

We tackle these and more in the eighth episode of the “#CourageON: Tumindig, Makialam, Kumilos” community show through panel discussions with journalists, human rights advocates, civil society groups and the academe. We’ll also hear from representatives of local and global groups staging efforts to counter disinformation in their spheres of influence.

The community show, organized by Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH in partnership with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, aims to put the spotlight on pressing issues in the Philippines and the ways we can take collective action on them. 

It is co-presented by Likha Pahinarya, Rizalian Psychological Society, and The Louisian Courier.

The episode titled “#CourageON: Pushing back against disinformation” goes live on Saturday, November 13 at 4 pm. Participants can join the live session on Zoom by registering here:

The show features two segments:

SEGMENT ONE: How disinformation, organized attacks impact communities

• Melanie Joy Feranil – National secretariat, College Editors Guild of the Philippines
• Cristina Palabay – Secretary general, Karapatan
• Michelle Abad – Researcher/writer, Rappler

SEGMENT TWO: What some local and global groups are doing to fight disinformation

• Bernice Soriano – Project coordinator, Foundation for Media Alternatives
• Shalini Joshi – Program director, Meedan Asia Pacific
• Leslie Manalo – Communication instructor, Holy Angel University
• Owenh Toledo – Graduate of fact-checking mentorship program and fact-check contributor at Rappler

This will be hosted by Rappler’s community lead Jules Guiang and Rappler’s membership lead Happy Feraren.

Check out the other episodes of the “#CourageON: Tumindig, Makialam, Kumilos” community show here:

• WATCH: #CourageON: Tumindig, makialam, kumilos
• #CourageON: From our ancestral heritage to elections, the issues we shouldn’t forget
• #CourageON: Climate crisis and a pandemic
• #CourageON: What Filipinos can do to watch the budget
• #CourageON: Lessons to keep our democracy
• #CourageON: How PAREX affects all of us
• #CourageON: The shrinking spaces for indigenous women in PH

– Rappler.com