Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said he wants stronger mechanisms against fake news, saying he is in favor of establishing a regulatory framework for social media networks and promoting digital media literacy among Filipinos to achieve this goal.
During a forum for presidential aspirants for the May 2022 elections, Lacson pointed out anyone can be a victim of online disinformation, that is why it is imperative to promote digital literacy and help Filipinos exercise critical thinking when evaluating all kinds of information that are obtained from the Internet.
“We are all victims of fake news and disinformation, Jessica. So, our citizens must be aware. Let us all be discerning on our own, on how we conduct ourselves (online),” Lacson told broadcast journalist Jessica Soho during her sit-down interview with presidential bets on Saturday night.
“But our government should also have some sort of control mechanisms and go after those who spread fake news. Because sometimes fake news, once you keep repeating it, gets accepted as the truth,” the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief stressed.
Lacson said he wants to address the issue of fake news seriously, which is tied to his digital transformation agenda, once elected into office as the 17th president.
According to the senator, he is hoping that Filipinos who are privileged to have access to an internet service would use it properly—not to promote lies, cyber bullying, and the like.
“Sometimes we can’t help but just laugh at ourselves and get annoyed at the same time, wondering why fake news is thriving, the proliferation of trolls, and all things (bad about the internet),” he said.
“So, we Filipinos have to be more discerning on how we treat the things that are coming out of social media,” he pointed out.
Lacson recently weighed in on the cases of Lolo Narding Flores and Robert Hong, who figured in a viral dispute over sacks of mangoes that eventually made them victims of two separate forms of injustice under the circumstances.
Flores, a victim of poverty, immediately gained public sympathy after he was arrested for allegedly stealing P12,000 worth of mangoes planted on a property taken care of Hong, who filed charges against Flores.
Hong, however, was instantly bashed and bullied by misinformed netizens who did not know the whole story.
Lacson’s office has committed to help both individuals to try to settle their disputes amicably in private.
“This should also be an eye-opener for us. On social media, things may not always be what they seem at first glance,” the senator pointed out.