Cathlaine M. Morillo A.

B Mass Communication

Film Critique

“Fake News, Real Consequences-

The Woman Fighting Disinformation”

Today, in fast-phase time media news outlets uses social media as the platform of information
since Filipinos are known to use 4 hours on the internet unlike any other in the world. Facebook, twitter,
and youtube as the pioneer social network on producing news in different formats which leads to many
allegations, patriotic trolling, disputes and disinformation of others as the majority gets information on
social media. In, 2006 local students volunteer to make a deliberate effort to check the credibility of
traditional media which is effective on public trust. As disinformation rise, crisis on its effect on how the
consequences we are facing are getting serious than before where in fact, it also exists in other
countries as well.

Maria Reesa, president and founder of the mainstream news outlet called Rappler in now facing
the consequences of fake news. A well known, educated and empowered woman has now facing 11
filed cases against her and because of the allegation, patriotic trolling, she’s having a hard time to
defend herself. People throwing foul and harsh words against her threatening her and the credibility she
had worked hard for are now at the edge. Many media and communication enthusiast had shared
thought on how to control and lessen the problem of fake news. Companies as well are now taking
actions and are accountable on banning fake accounts to stop them from spreading fake news to the
media users.

The positive things in this video is that it does not put limit to the Philippines but also make
wider scope to extend the knowledge and the seriousness of this issue to other nations as well and how
it appears and affect differently in so many ways. Companies like facebook take action against
disinformation by having flags as the sign of misleading photos or information and deleting fake
accounts. It showcase and depicts the reality of fake news more than we imagined it could be that it’s
not only for the journalist and public official but as well to us media users could suffer also.
 The negative side I have wished come out and explained in the issue is not only focusing on
Reesa but the document could also apply the stories of consequences of other people who had
experience the same thing as her. They should have also widened the topic but putting other examples
of the consequences can be minor issues to justified and know more about the consequences of fake
news. Aside from those, I find this very hateful and bias against the administration in which they should
have make it informative without the involvement of the government and should have used other
example as well aside from politics.

This documentary have opened my mind about the reality of fake news where like me,
sometimes unaware of the issues and not making this as a major problem in the society as I consider
other problems like the necessities, education and poverty. Who would have mind issues like this? But
after I have realized the burden of carrying the issue unconsciously, it has been misunderstanding after
all and we must take responsibilities as media users.

It is not about Maria Reesa fighting against disinformation and defending herself but it is about
how we fight against disinformation. The consequences of fake news may affect us in different way and
may happened to us anytime, if ever, how are we going to defend ourselves against disinformation if
like Reesa, no one believes the truth anymore? The truth we must know the essence of the problem in
disinformation, acknowledge it, face it and solve it together. Together we fight it so we could live with
the truth and nothing but the truth.