At least 69 percent of adult Filipinos said that the problem of fake news in media is serious, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey result released on Friday, Feb. 25.
In a nationwide survey conducted from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16, 2021, with 1,440 respondents, SWS found that 69 percent of adult Filipinos believe that the problem of fake news in media like television, radio, and newspaper is serious.
Of this, 32 percent answered that it is very serious, 38 percent said that it is somewhat serious, 21 percent were undecided, six percent said it is somewhat serious, while 3 percent believe that it is not serious at all.
“Compared to December 2017, those who consider the problem of fake news in media as “serious” rose by nine points from 60 percent,” said SWS.
During the same period, SWS also asked adult Filipinos regarding their opinion on how serious they think is the problem of the spread of fake news on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.
At least 67 percent said that it is serious. Of this, 32 percent said it is very serious, 35 percent believe that it is somewhat serious, 24 percent were undecided, 5 percent answered “somewhat serious,” while 3 percent said that it is not serious at all.
Meanwhile, SWS’s survey results likewise revealed that the problem of fake news is considered more serious by those who spot them more often.
“Those who consider the problem of fake news in media as serious are highest among those who see or read fake news on television, radio, or social media often (84 percent), followed by those who encounter fake news sometimes (76 percent), and seldom (55 percent), said SWS.
“On the other hand, those who say that the problem of fake news on the internet is serious are highest among those who read fake news on television, radio, or social media often (82 percent), followed by those who spot fake news sometimes (73 percent), and seldom (55 percent).
Moreover, those who consider the problem of fake news in media as “serious” are highest in Metro Manila at 70 percent, followed by Balance Luzon at 66 percent, Visayas at 63 percent, and Mindanao at 62 percent.
SWS also noted that the problem of fake news is considered “more serious” by those with higher education.
Individuals who believe that fake news in media is higher among college graduates (74 percent) and junior high school graduates (75 percent) compared to elementary graduates (63 percent), and non-elementary graduates (54 percent).
“Those who say that the problem of fake news on the internet is serious are also higher among college graduates (75 percent), and junior high school graduates (74 percent), than among elementary graduates (59 percent), and non-elementary graduates (48 percent).
SWS said that in all educational levels, the December 2021 percentage of those who believe that fake news on the internet is serious are higher than those in December 2017.