In a bid to counter the rampant spread of fake news and misinformation, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has urged social media giants to collaborate with the government, emphasizing their role in protecting students, often referred to as “digital natives.”
CHED Chairperson J. Prospero de Vera III’s call comes in the wake of a joint memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing with various government entities, led by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), aimed at promoting media and information literacy (MIL) in Pasay City.
Speaking at the event, de Vera highlighted the potential for “advanced algorithms” from major social media platforms to be instrumental in identifying and flagging potential fake news.
“Google, Facebook, and Tiktok can play a significant role in curbing this issue by providing algorithms, enhancing content moderation, launching educational campaigns, partnering with higher education institutions, promoting fact-checking, enhancing user transparency, and strengthening community guidelines,” he stated.
De Vera acknowledged the spread of disinformation as a strategy employed to “discord public opinion or push for a certain propaganda.” He suggested that these strategies could mitigate the visibility of unverified or misleading content, reinforce content moderation, and foster responsible content consumption and sharing.
However, de Vera emphasized that the application of such advanced algorithms must respect students’ freedom of speech.
“While our students are digital natives well-equipped to engage in a digital society, we must empower them with the proper tools to inquire, understand, communicate, and think critically,” he asserted.
CHED believes that empowering students with MIL will enable digital platforms to serve as a potent avenue for expressing thoughts and emotions.
“Media and information literacy is an essential component of students and teachers’ learning that fosters equitable access to knowledge, which in turn opens up opportunities,” de Vera emphasized.
The CHED committed to fulfilling its role in advocating for MIL alongside other government bodies. De Vera acknowledged the complexity of combating disinformation and fake news, emphasizing the need for collaboration among various stakeholders.
“We have been pushing for this for some time now. The best way to combat disinformation and fake news remains of course a topic that is highly debated. But I think we all agree that addressing the spread of disinformation among young people in Philippine higher education is a complex issue that requires partnerships among different stakeholders,” he remarked.
Moreover, CHED’s support for intensified efforts to combat fake news stems from its potential to impact the administration’s initiatives and programs.
“Kadalasan dahil sa fake news, ang mga mabubuting intensyon at inisyatibo ng ating kasalukuyang administrasyon at iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan ay nababahiran o nadudungisan (Usually, because of fake news, the good intentions and initiatives of the present administration are being tainted or blemished),” de Vera added.
In pursuit of this collaborative approach, CHED has entered into the MOU with PCO, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
