Upholding accountability in an era of

fake news
TEN hours and 27 minutes. This is the average time Filipinos ages
16 to 64 years old spend browsing the internet and staying online.
According to social media management firm Hootsuite and
creative agency We Are Social's Digital 2022 Global Overview
Report, Filipinos are among those who spend the longest time
connected online.

The results are not surprising. It is not hard to find someone busy
tapping at a phone on a bustling street in the Philippines. When
not messaging friends and family, we resort to taking TikTok
videos or food snapshots for Instagram feeds. These became more
commonplace when the pandemic hit. We relied heavily on mobile
apps to transfer money, pay the bills and satisfy food cravings. No
surprise there and probably the better question to ask is: Just 10
hours? Based on what we see, it does seem like Filipinos spend
more than 10 hours online daily.

While the proliferation of reliable mobile apps and the ease in

getting connected provide many benefits, they also unlock doors
to online bashing and data security issues. One of the more
harmful but often overlooked effects of going digital is
misinformation — in many cases, disinformation — in the form of
fake news or false content.

Misinformation vs disinformation

To shed light on the harmful impact of misinformation and

disinformation, UP professor Fatima Gaw differentiated the two at
a session I co-chaired during PICPA's (Philippine Institute of
Certified Public Accountants) celebration of Accountancy Week
celebration.

Citing University of Western Ontario professor Victoria Rubin,

Gaw described misinformation as the act of providing inaccurate
information. Disinformation, meanwhile, occurs when one
intentionally shares deceptive and often manipulative data. The
key difference is intention. We may spread false information
because we fail to fact-check the accuracy of data but knowingly
spreading information that we know is false is wholly different
and far more dangerous.

Spotting misinformation and disinformation

The types of misinformation and disinformation are really hard to

spot. These include making false connections — when headlines
or social media captions are different from what the main material
contains — and sharing manipulated content with the intent to
deceive. That satirical article or that video you just finished
watching? It may have been shared without any intention to fool
you but may contain incorrect data that can easily sway you into
believing the data are factual.

Expanding on the gray areas, Gaw introduced the "sandwich

strategy" often utilized to slyly conceal misinformation and
disinformation. This happens when misleading or distorted
information is squeezed between factual information to give the
false notion that the whole content is factual.

Half the time, without realizing it, we tend to believe

uncorroborated information posted by our favorite influencers
and even parody accounts. What we fail to take into account is
that the go-to social media accounts where we get our daily dose
of fun content may be managed by those paid to share biased
posts in support of clients. Tip: be wary of paid trolls. They lurk
everywhere.

Upholding accountability

According to the 2022 Social Weather Stations survey, 69 percent

of Filipinos see the spread of fake news as a serious issue, with 32
percent describing fake news shared by the media as a "very
serious" concern. The same survey also revealed another pressing
issue: 51 percent admitted that they found it hard to spot fake
news.

The proliferation of distorted data does not just affect private

citizens. Businesses can also be the victim of false information. In
the field of accounting and audit — a profession that relies heavily
on facts and figures to come up with accurate reports — the
effects of disinformation and misinformation are more apparent
and much more critical.

As the world goes digital, auditing firms are faced with a dilemma:
digital transformation or being left behind by competitors. The
answer is simple: go digital. But along with this comes risks posed
by cybersecurity and falling prey to disinformation and
misinformation. Considering all the harmful effects, knowing is
not enough. Concrete action is needed.

Helping institute transparency

As the government ramps up efforts to combat the spread of false

information, professional organizations and the private sector can
help by putting within their organizational frameworks policies
that promote transparency and accountability when it comes to
sharing and use of data. This will help instill a mindset of
accountability that members can imbibe even in dealings outside
the organization. This is where firms offering cybersecurity and
other digital services come in. There are companies that, aside
from offering their main products, also have automation, shared
service and data security services. It is a wise option to ask service
providers if they can provide these solutions.

For accountants in the public sector, finding new ways to institute

checks and balances in their agencies is also helpful. By doing this,
the citizens' need for a more accountable government will be
addressed. In the process, by making sure all information released
by our agency is correct and well-researched, we help reduce
instances of sharing fake news or misleading content.

Contributing to disinformation and misinformation is a clear

affront to democracy. While we have every right to express
opinions, with this right comes the duty to not trample on the
right of others to receive truthful information.

Curbing the widespread sharing of false information, as well as

ensuring that society does not become an environment marred by
disinformation and misinformation, does not just fall on the
shoulders of the government. Citizens, the private sector and
sociocivic and professional organizations must also take an active
part in this noble cause.

Mai Sigue-Bisnar is the partner for Audit & Assurance and Advisory
Services and head of the Markets Group at P&A Grant Thornton.
P&A Grant Thornton is one of the leading audit, tax, advisory and
outsourcing firms in the Philippines, with 22 partners and more
than 1,000 staff members. We'd like to hear from you! Tweet us at
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