She can be considered among the trailblazers in digital content creation, starting off as a cosplayer and eventually branching out and thriving as a model, TV presenter, singer, and actress.  Her success in the field inspired many Filipinos to follow in her footsteps and aspire to become influencers in the online world.  In very simple terms, Alodia Gosiengfiao, known as Senpai Alodia of the Philippines, is an influencer of influencers, especially among her almost 2 million fans on Instagram alone. 

With the unprecedented rise in Filipino influencers and digital creators over the past few years, all aspiring to become like Alodia and gain both money and fame, the quality of produced online content naturally dwindled.  With content mostly based on opinions (and sometimes even rumors and gossip) and not on research-backed facts, not only have they become mostly inaccurate, they have also become sources of misinformation, otherwise known as “fake news.”

 This prompted Alodia to, once again, be the influencer of influencers and make a call for responsible self-censorship. 

“Social media has empowered everyone who puts their mind to something and uses this platform.  As one who really grew up in social media, I was hoping that people would use it as a platform as a role model, but not everyone, I guess, has the same mindset,” she said during the recent Asian Leadership Awards Power Lunch Alodia attended by the social media star along with around 20 other powerful pillars of different industries.

“It is very difficult to impose rules on everyone since we have freedom of speech, but I guess it is more of a responsibility as an individual,” she reasoned.  Alodia traced people’s brass and boldness to post unverified information on social media to lack of control and accountability and to their freedom to choose to be incognito: “I know a lot of people are hiding behind usernames and whatnot, but as a creator, we also get affected when people try to push this cancel culture.  So, we need to be more careful with other people’s mistakes, so I am also cautious when I present myself and post.” 

Alodia, who has now stepped into a new role as wife to fellow online personality Christopher Quimbo, also expressed major concern about those who take advantage of the social platform to make some quick bucks by scamming their way to other people’s accounts.  She urges authorities to make them accountable for their actions.

“That’s really crossing the line.  Official rules should apply to them because this process also hurts other humans. Offended parties should subject these offenders to due process.  It has to be proven that these people really have bad motives,” she emphasized. 

On the so-called “clout chasers,” or those who issue controversial, often irresponsible, comments on more popular personalities, Alodia had this to say: “I’m not sure what their motives are; it’s just riding the clout to get a response from other creators.  It's harassment.  Hopefully there’s due process on this kasi nakakasakit siya ng ibang tao.”

In the end, it is refreshing to see how her continued popularity, both on digital and traditional media, has gone into Alodia’s head in a very positive way through her mature and responsible declarations on the proper use of socials: “I encourage the next generation to be more responsible creators,” she concluded.