Digital footprints are now louder than street protests. Social media has become the battleground of thoughts, opinions, and ideologies, especially among the youth. Platforms like Facebook, TikTok, X, and Instagram have grown into spaces where conversations unfold, sometimes even faster than traditional news can catch up. But with this access comes a challenge: How do we ensure that what shapes our youth is rooted in truth—and not just in trends?

Social media has empowered the voice of the youth like never before. It has enabled them to engage in social issues, speak out against injustice, and influence conversations that once seemed beyond their reach. With just one click, they can create movements, organize protests, or advocate for change. This digital empowerment is vital, but so is the need to complement it with accountability and awareness.

In this digital age, however, the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news remains a growing and glaring threat. Opinions are often formed not solely through facts, but also through edited content, misleading headlines, and viral posts designed to provoke emotion rather than encourage understanding. It becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish verified knowledge from manipulated narratives.

In this digital war, campus journalists are among the most affected. Many still struggle to distinguish truthful information from falsehoods. They trust the sources they see until they realize they have unknowingly become messengers of misinformation. While these campus journalists are expected to be the watchdogs in their respective schools, they are bombarded with so much unfiltered content that separating fake from real information becomes a challenge.

Therefore, campus journalists must be equipped with the tools to verify sources, fact-check claims, and report issues that matter. But they cannot do this alone. For example, school paper advisers (SPAs) are not only mentors as they are also the frontline defenders of truth, tasked with guiding the youth to become vanguards of ethical journalism and responsible digital citizenship. The SPAs are responsible for nurturing a generation that can resist misinformation and rise above digital manipulation.

When emotions are weaponized and misinformation is left unchecked, critical thinking becomes more crucial than ever. Algorithms—systems that rank user-provided signals to determine what type of content to display—often trap users within echo chambers, exposing them only to opinions that reinforce what they already believe. This narrow perspective threatens healthy discourse.

To maximize social media’s potential, the government, schools, and communities must work hand-in-hand to promote digital literacy and access to truthful information. Although social media shapes opinions, it must not be left unchecked. In the hands of informed and conscientious youth, it becomes not just a platform, but a powerful instrument for change.

As critical thinkers, now is the time for us to advocate for truth in the name of transparency and good governance through access to accurate and verified information. For in this ongoing digital war, social media is shaping opinions and, ultimately, the direction of our nation.

The author is the school paper adviser of The Hillside Echo, the official student publication of Filamer Christian University in Roxas City, Capiz. (Illustration by Leomar D. Funa)