Kreszel Faith D.

Catulong The Contemporary World (GEC103)

Arc Kim Gumbao I – BSCE/ TFR 1:00 – 2:30
Mario Bucayan II Instructor: Jayboy M. Sartorio

Globalization and Fake News/Increase of Online Trolls

1. Discuss the relationship of globalization and fake news/increase of online trolls. Discuss
the severity of the problem.

It is undeniable that as globalization progresses, advancements in technology and the

evolution of communication are also making their way forward. While the seas of this world
have opened up new avenues for collaboration and new opportunities, doors were also opened
for propagators of fake news with the intention of manipulating the perception of those in the
online community may it be for political or personal reasons.

Eventually, the spread of fake news and the increase of online trolls has become an
accustomed corollary of globalization. The very things developed to help the world connect
more and understand better have become tools for creating chaos and unjustifiable behaviors
hidden behind the defense brought by rights and speech freedoms.

While some examples of fake news seem innocent or just an attempt at fun and
entertainment, false information can distort people’s beliefs. One effective mechanism is
repetition which, obviously, is an easy thing to do nowadays with the aid of the internet and
numerous social media platforms. Repetition can be a powerful tool when used to reinforce
positive and productive messages, however, it can also be extremely dangerous when people
in positions of power use it to control the thoughts and beliefs of a group for personal gain.

When people are treating fake news as real, they are putting themselves and others at
risk, allowing other people to have control over their lives. Moreover, they are risking their
health, finances, and relationships. They may refuse to take necessary precautions and get the
cure for their disease; lose their savings, retirement income, or go into debt by giving away
hard-earned money; or be influenced with hate speech, bullying, violence, discrimination, and
bigotry, affecting their relationships.

2. Discuss the actions taken by the government and its people to solve fake news/increase of
online trolls.

The line between fake and real news can be awfully blurry and the rights and speech
freedom of the people make the fight against false information quite bumpy. To give an
instance, the First Amendment protects the rights of American citizens to freely express and
 exchange ideas—even false or controversial ones. If the government legislates against fake
news, it would also censor and affect real news that people disagree with.

Currently, there are no laws directly against fake news or online trolling. However,
there is a main legal recourse against this problem: a defamation lawsuit. Private individuals
or businesses most frequently can sue someone for publishing false information which results
in damages like losing a job, a decline in revenue, or a tarnished reputation. This can help in
seeking monetary damages or injunctive relief. Some more common civil legal claims and
associated defenses used to sue online trolls or fake news publishers are Intentional Infliction
of Emotional Distress and Intellectual Property Violations. On occasion, online trolls or fake
news publishers are accused of crimes and violations of other governmental regulations.

Be that as it may, the government also takes actions through programs that fight
against fake news. For example, two Philippine government agencies—the Criminal
Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG)—
launched at least two projects aimed to increase police presence online especially during the
upsurge of COVID-19. These projects are E-Sumbong and E-Access where complaints could
be filed and police assistance in identifying cybercriminals could be sought. They also
strengthen the anti-cybercrime campaign by providing an informative and convenient
platform for cybercrime prevention awareness that the public can easily access.

3. Discuss what can be done to further strengthen the mechanisms employed by the
government to combat fake news/increase of online trolls.

The fight against fake news and the increase of online trolls is a fight that should start
with individuals being critical consumers of the information they find offline and online.
Indeed, we cannot entirely stop those who have the power and the skills to do such horrible
acts in the digital world, but we do have the power and the tools to check, choose, and believe
the right facts.

Those who belong in the online community should always be critical especially when
presented with problematic news sources and misleading content. Internet users should know
how to detect fake news and to fact-check using tried and true methods.

One method is a tool like NewsGuard, a one-of-its-kind media literacy tool that aids
internet news consumers to navigate through reliable and unreliable news sources online. It
has a team of trained journalists and editors who rate news and information websites based on
nine journalistic criteria that assess credibility and transparency of a news site as a whole.
There are also quick fact-checking websites like Snopes, FactCheck.org, and Politifact.
Moreover, methods of assessing information like the ACT-UP method should be mastered.
This motivates consumers of information to assess the author, the currency of the topic, the
truthfulness in its tone, if the information or claim is unbiased, and the privilege of the author.
 Substantially, people should not easily believe what they see and read online. It is
also important to trust the experts and not just the hearsay going around. Everyone should also
be aware of how their own biases impact how they evaluate the credibility or truth of a news
report. It is also helpful to be aware of the laws and the programs implemented by the
government. Most importantly, people should make it a habit to fact-check first before sharing
anything to the rest of the world.

References:

Bishop, J. (n.d.). Tackling Internet abuse in Great Britain: Towards a framework for classifying
severities://jonathanbishop.com/Library/Documents/EN/docWCPaper_TrollingLaw.pdf

Georgacopoulos, C., Mores, G., & Poché, T. (n.d.). Fight Fake News | Fake News. LSU Faculty
Websites. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from
https://faculty.lsu.edu/fakenews/protect_yourself/fight-fake-news.php

Imeraj, A., & Krasniqi, A. (n.d.). The globalization and commercialization of fake news.
Diplomatic Council. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.diplomatic-
council.org/node/377

Klein, D. O., & Wueller, J. R. (2017, April). Internet Law. Fake News: A Legal Perspective,
20(10), 9. https://motamem.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Fake-News-A-Legal-
Perspective.pdf

What Are The Dangers of Fake News? | The Risk of Fake News. (2021, November 1).
PeoplesBank. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.peoplesbanknet.com/the-
dangers-of-fake-news/