NUJP Launches Fakeblok

June 6, 2017

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and the Center for Media Freedom (CMFR)
and Responsibility launched on June 5 a journalist-moderated tool that guards against fake news.

The Google Chrome plug-in Fakeblok flags fake news and misinformation on Facebook. The NUJP said
Filipino journalists came together to list fake news websites and develop a tool against these.

"Over the past months, unverified posts on social media have been intentionally spreading
misinformation," the NUJP said. "Even state-run news agencies have come up with, shared, and
legitimized fake news."

The NUJP was referring to recent lapses with the state-run Philippine News Agency, which reported on
the Marawi crisis with a photo from the Vietnam war.

Licensed news agencies, including CNN Philippines, have fallen victim to hoax websites mimicking their
name and logo, but peddling unverified news. These fake accounts and sites can usually be told apart
through a changed or added character in the name, as well as the absence of an "about" page.

The extension notifies the user when a fake site appears on their Facebook feed, graying out the post
and cautioning against clicking or sharing it.

Fakeblok is downloadable from the Chrome store. Fake news sites could also be reported through
fakeblok.com, upon which a group of independent journalists verify the sites.

"It also lets you submit sites that you think share fake news, for vetting by an independent group of
journalists," the NUJP statement explained. "The only way that we can figure out fact from fiction is by
working together."

The Fakeblok website also discouraged brands and businesses to pull their advertisements out of fake
news.

"Clicks and advertisements allow fake news sites to thrive," a statement on the website said. "As long as
they profit, they'll keep on churning fake news."

CMFR previously listed characteristics of fake news sites, particularly fake websites, which include the
lack of identification, unverified aggregated content, article submissions open to the public, and
trending news sites.

Among those CMFR listed as websites to be wary of are Pinoy Trending, Pinoy Trending News, News
Trend PH, Asian Policy Press, Public Trending, FilipiNews PH, Trending Viral, News Info Learn, All Things
Pinoy, Today in Manila, Definitely Filipino, Trending News Portal, and Classified Trends.

PCOO Accredits Bloggers

August 9, 2017

Getting accreditation to cover the President's events is now much easier.

In its Department Order 15 released August 9, the Presidential Communications Operations Office
(PCOO) will grant accreditation to bloggers and social media practitioners to cover special events
attended by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The order will allow Filipino citizens at least 18 years old to cover for free, but requires them to have not
less than 5,000 followers on their social media platforms.

According to the order, the purpose of granting interim accreditation is to "generate news and
information for the citizenry through social media platforms".

Applications sent through the PCOO website will be reviewed by the PCOO's Social Media Office and are
still subject to clearance by the Presidential Security Group.

The accreditation may be cancelled if the blogger is found guilty of abuse of rights and privileges.
The Social Media Office will conduct a test run of the interim order for a period of six months upon its
effectivity.

How to Spot Fake News

Rappler.com

 Be skeptical of headlines. False news stories often have catchy headlines in all caps with
exclamation points. If shocking claims in the headline sound unbelievable, they probably are.
 Look closely at the URL. A phony or look-alike URL may be a warning sign of false news. Many
false news sites mimic authentic news sources by making small changes to the URL. You can go
to the site and compare the URL to established sources.
 Investigate the source. Ensure that the story is written by a source that you trust with a
reputation for accuracy. If the story comes from an unfamiliar organization, check their “About”
section to learn more.
 Watch for unusual formatting. Many false news sites have misspellings or awkward layouts.
Read carefully if you see these signs.
 Consider the photos. False news stories often contain manipulated images or videos. Sometimes
the photo may be authentic, but taken out of context. You can search for the photo or image to
verify where it came from.
 Inspect the dates. False news stories may contain timelines that make no sense, or event dates
that have been altered.
 Check the evidence. Check the author's sources to confirm that they are accurate. Lack of
evidence or reliance on unnamed experts may indicate a false news story.
 Look at other reports. If no other news source is reporting the same story, it may indicate that
the story is false. If the story is reported by multiple sources you trust, it's more likely to be true.
 Is the story a joke? Sometimes false news stories can be hard to distinguish from humor or
satire. Check whether the source is known for parody, and whether the story's details and tone
suggest it may be just for fun.
 Some stories are intentionally false. Think critically about the stories you read, and only share
news that you know to be credible.

Philippine Onlilne Libel and Cybercrime Law

The crime of libel is committed when a person makes, against another, a public and malicious
imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status or
circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or to
blacken the memory of one who is dead (Article 353, Revised Penal Code).

To address the changing times as well as the advancement of technology, Republic Act (RA) 10175 or the
Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 was passed into law. One of the salient parts of RA 10175 is Section 4
(c) (4), which renders unlawful or prohibited acts of libel those mentioned under Article 355 of the
Revised Penal Code, as amended, if such acts are committed through a computer system or any other
similar means that may be devised in the future.

Libel committed on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and other online content was made a more serious crime
compared to printed libel because of to the newly approved anti-cybercrimes law or Republic Act 10175,
according to Atty. Harry Roque, professor of constitutional law at the University of the Philippines.

"Three times longer imprisonment. Facebook and Twitter may lead to 12 years in jail," he said.
"Imprisonment for e-libel: 6 years and 1 day up to 12 years."

In comparison, he said the penalty for printed libel set by Revised Penal Code is only 6 months and one
day to 4 years and 2 months.

OPINYON:
“The Truth shall set you free.”

1. The culture of gossip and sensationalism

2. The human amusement for exaggerated information
3. The need for wisdom and discernment of truth
4. The need for vigilance against fallacies and information distortion