ICT and Social Issue

By: Manuel Kent C. Villaruz

ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) has been a blessing and a curse. For the past
years, ICT have provided society with a vast array of new communication capabilities that included social
media such as Facebook. Communication, news and entertainment is just a click away with ICT but as it
brought comfort and progress, it also brought problems such as false information and accusations. This
is what happened on the recent issue of the supposed rape slay of Christine Dacera who was found dead
in a hotel’s bathroom on New Year’s Eve after a night of partying.

I have chosen this issue because it shows how ICT was used to spread fake news and accused
innocent people. With the use of Social Media, Facebook and Twitter, Christine Dacera’s case was
sensationalized and several of her friends who was with her during that fateful night was charged as
criminals (through the said online platforms) without due process. The issue got out of hand because
the Police in charge of the case blatantly said that the case was already solved even without the
evidence; as a result, hashtag #justiceforchristinedacera trended and pictures of her friends was posted
tagging them as rapist and murderers. As it is, those who were falsely accused suffered anxiety because
of bashing and discrimination. But as the investigation progresses, it was later known that it was
aneurysm that cause Dacera’s death. The accused were released but the damage on their lives was
already done and the traumatic event will scar them to life plus they haven’t even had the chance to say
goodbye to Christine because of the issues that surrounds her death. Up until now, her family still sticks
to the fact that she died of rape and drugs and the bashing turned to her family as they believed they
are fighting for a lost battle and cannot accept the true nature of her death.

Christine Dacera’s case has taught us that Social Media can make or break a person based on the
news being spread about them. So it is our duty to combat what is fake and what is not. We should
always consider the journalist or media or even the people who is the source of the news; whether they
are reliable or not. Do research, not just sharing all the information and above all, Think before you click,
for we are accountable in all the status we posted online.