THE
SENATE is seeking an investigation into allegations that government funds are
being used or oiling the operation of troll farms that spread
fake news and misinformation on social media.
They
signed proposed Senate Resolution 768 asking the appropriate committee to
conduct an inquiry on the alleged state-backed and state-funded spreaders of
fake information that affect millions of Filipinos.
“Filipinos
should know why government spends public funds on troll farm operators
disguised as public relations practitioners and social media consultants who
sow fake news rather than on Covid-19 assistance, health care, food
security, jobs protection, education, among others,” the resolution reads.
The probe coincided with the release of a report by
the Commission on Audit which questioned the
Presidential Communications Operations Office under Secretary Martin Andanar
for hiring 375 contractual personnel for public relations work last year. The
COA report said the PCOO spent over ₱70.6
million for the salaries of these so-called social media specialists which
outnumbered regular employees by more than 200 percent.
PCOO denied accusations it hired trolls.
The
Department of Finance also earlier awarded a P909,122 communications strategy
consultancy contract to a public relations practitioner who was tagged by
Facebook itself as the “operator behind a pro-Duterte fake account network
which Facebook took down in March 2019.”
Pangilinan
stressed that misinformation and fake news do harm to the country
grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic. “Hindi natin pwedeng hayaang ginagamit
ang pera ng taumbayan para manira at mang-harass ng mga taong pumupuna sa gobyerno.
Masama ito sa demokrasya, lalo na sa papalapit na halalan sa susunod na taon,”
he said.
“Pagsisinungaling
ang trolling. Masama ito lalo na dahil sa darating na halalan. Kung mahalal ang
bagong presidente at ibang opisyal dahil sa pekeng impormasyon, magkakaroon
tayo ng pekeng presidente at opisyal,” he said.
Lacson
also alleged that a government undersecretary has been organizing internet
troll farms across the country to target political rivals or those not aligned
with President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
Advertising
firms “We are Social” and “Hootsuite”, in their 2020 annual report, found that
Filipinos spend an average of four hours and 15 minutes each day on social
media - topping the world rankings for the sixth straight year. The Philippines
is also highest in the world in internet usage with an average of 10 hours and
56 minutes.
A
social media troll is someone who creates conflict on sites like Twitter,
Facebook, and Reddit by posting messages that are particularly controversial or
inflammatory with the sole intent of provoking an emotional response from other
users.
Villanueva
said the allegations of public funds financing troll farms to sow
misinformation in time for the coming elections in 2022 must be investigated
thoroughly. “Organized trolls are weapons of mass distraction. The seeds of
falsehood they plant ripen into hate ready to be harvested by those who are
harmed by the truth,” he said.
According
to the senate resolution, these messages from trolls distract and take focus
away from the subject at hand, sending a rational discussion down a rabbit hole
of obscenities, personal attacks, and jokes. “Most trolls also post misleading
statements or outright lies on the internet to manipulate public perception of
issues or persons. Usually, trolls would set up fake social media accounts in
order to retain their anonymity and escape prosecution,” it said.
The
resolution further stated that the public should know why government funds were
allegedly spent on troll farm operators disguised as public relations
practitioners and social media consultants who sow fake news.
Lacson also urged the public and social media users
to resist the urge to engage the trolls and report or block their accounts and
pages. “Resist the urge to engage them, report them, and block them – these are
the three-point habit that ordinary Filipinos can develop against internet
trolls, while waiting for Facebook and other social media platforms to crack
down on them,” he said.
“We know trolls are financially and emotionally
fuelled by agitating and getting a response from their targets. Denying them
that fuel is a good first step,” he added.
Lacson said he also encountered and dealt with
trolls on social media and blocked over 2,000 accounts.
He also gave some tips on how to spot online
trolls: “The person’s main Facebook profile has no activity; and usually has a
generic or unidentifiable profile photo; Overly aggressive and condescending
behavior, with targeted offensive messages instead of reasonable arguments; Use
of ‘copy-paste’ or distinguishable patterns in their comments. They also use
fake news and, or twisted logic, and have a sudden surge of
‘like-minded’ comments targeting and attacking one who does not share their
views.”
Lacson also backed Senate President Vicente Sotto
III’s call to Facebook Philippines to act against troll farms supposedly being
set up for the 2022 elections. “As we wait for the companies concerned to take
appropriate action, it would be better for us to develop the habits that will
deny these trolls their prize,” he said.
Mudslinging
UCAN or the Union of Catholic
Asian News also reported on June 23 that Father Norberto Garido, a
parish priest from Lucena Diocese, south of Manila, has
condemned what he called an online mudslinging campaign allegedly instigated by
Duterte against Robredo.
The priest said recent Facebook posts by trolls
calling Robredo an “inutile” and “worthless” leader were likely funded by the
Duterte administration. “Now that election time is getting nearer, trolls are
once again active to try and destroy those who speak against or criticize
President Rodrigo Duterte. Trolls are responsible for spreading fake news.
Let us all be standard-bearers of the truth, not lies,” he said.
“Trolls have victimized not just the vice president,
but many other individuals who criticize Duterte policies such as extrajudicial
killings. Every time a person criticizes this administration, trolls flood
social media with derogatory remarks to bully them,” the priest added.
The report said opposition lawmakers are pushing
for an investigation into alleged government involvement in troll farms or
groups of internet trolls that seek to influence political opinions and
decision-making.
Not
Us
Last September, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque
disputed allegations that Duterte admitted using Facebook trolls. “I
dispute that the president admitted to using trolls. He never ever admitted to
using trolls. I stand by that as the Presidential Spokesperson. We do not run
troll farms. It was the administration in the past that used these,” Roque
said.
Roque said he was also a victim of black propaganda
after a video clip appeared on social media showing him criticizing Duterte in
2016. “Lumabas na naman sa social media ang isang lumang video, where I
criticized then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Talagang desperado na ang
mga kritiko at mga kalaban. Pero may kasabihan nga, ang punong hitik sa bunga
ay binabato. Public knowledge naman na hindi ko sinuportahan ang kandidatura ng
Pangulo nang siya ay tumakbo noong 2016. Ngunit hindi ibig sabihin nito ay
magiging kritiko na lang ako ng Pangulo – just for the sake of criticizing,” he
said.
Roque continued to say that when he ran and won a
congressional seat, Duterte supported many of his bills, among them are the
Universal Health Care, Free Irrigation, HIV and AIDS Policy Act, and Balik
Scientist Program.
“Patunay na hindi hadlang ang aming pagkakaiba ng
pananaw para isulong kung ano ang mabuti sa ating mamamayan. In addition, I am
a vocal supporter of the President's independent foreign policy. This likewise
shows that the President has walked the talk. PRRD’s promise of real change is
not just mere empty campaign rhetoric. Nakita at naramdaman ko at ng taumbayan
ang tunay na pagbabago. At ito ang nagkumbinse sa akin na suportahan ang
Pangulo at kanyang administrasyon na may tunay na malasakit sa tao kaakibat ang
matapat na serbisyo sa bayan,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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