However, it is not an easy task, particularly in the Philippines, where many get their stories from Facebook, which can be accessed for free on mobile phones.
While traditional media such as TV, radio, and newspapers continue to be widely watched, listened to, and read by Filipinos, digital news has become a go-to for the young and old, particularly due to the boon of free mobile access.
One problem, said former Agence France-Presse editor-in-chief Eric Wishart, is that this free access has led to a phenomenon where many Filipinos consider Facebook their primary source of information.
“Retractions can backfire,” he said, as there is a danger that people will remember the myth more than the fact — thus, the burden is also on journalists to ensure that they put the facts first, so as not to reinforce false information in the minds of their audiences.
However, for historian Farish Ahmad-Noor, during this new “industrial revolution”, the advent of digital technology, social networks render meaningful contact difficult.
This, especially because technological advances seem to make spreading fake news easy, despite also opening up the world to new opportunities and benefits of easily accessible information.
Facebook is continuously adding features such as tweaking the site so users can see less ads for low-quality pages, downgrading clickbait, and adding recommendations for related news on certain issues.
