social media

7 Tips for responsible use of social media for Filipinos

It’s World Social Media Day! According to studies, the Philippines ranks no. 1 in terms of time spent on social media. At dahil diyan, dapat lang na mas maging responsable tayo sa paggamit ng social media, di ba? Huwag basta-basta maniwala sa mga nababasa online. Think before you click and spread love not hate. Peace!
1. Check the label. Sa dami ng naglipanang fake news websites, i-check muna ang pangalan at URL o link ng news source. Kapag may extra letter o number sa pangalan ng source, aba eh maghinala ka na! Maraming websites ang nagpapaganggap na legit news websites pero kung susuriing mabuti, ginagaya lang nila ang interface at URL ng website upang makapang loko.
2. Read before you share.  Huwag basta-basta mag like, comment or share ng mga juicy articles na nababasa sa Facebook at Twitter. If it’s too funny or too weird to be true, basahin at intindihin muna ang buong article bago i-share o mag comment. Sabi nga nila – G.I.Y.F. – Google is Your Friend! Kapag hindi sigurado, i-Google mo.
 
3. Keep out! Hindi lang sa totoong buhay dapat maging “nice”, sa​ social media din. Iwasan ang mga Facebook group at pages na nakaka-violate at discriminate ng pagkatao. ​Respeto lang! ​Peace!
4. Do not enter! Hindi lang sa pag-ibig maraming manloloko at manggagamit, pati na sa world wide web. Huwag ​click ng click sa mga kung anu anong websites, lalo na yung kahina-hinala, baka mavirus ka pa!
6. Quality over quantity. Magbasa ng mga balita online ​at maghanap ng kalidad na mga journalist, huwag umasa sa headline, hirit at dami ng followers. Remember, popularity is not credibility.

 

7. Be real. Kung paano ka ​in real life, dapat ganun ka din sa social media​. Pag-isipan ng maigi bago mag-post. Sa dinami dami ng fake ​na​ nagkalat, kailangan ng mundo ang mga nagpapakatotoo at authentic. Stay real, Philippines!

 

5. Care before you share. Sa dali at bilis ng pag-post sa social media, minsan nakakalimutan natin pakinggan ang puso bago mag-share ng saloobin. Huwag na tayo dumagdag sa dami ng away at pananakot online. Mag-ingat at piliting maging understanding. Magshare ng mga magagandang bagay at pampa GV. ‘Wag lang puro nega, ​why not spread mega-love and happiness to your online friends! 

Sen. Bam calls for stakeholders’ cooperation to combat fake news

With more Filipinos now getting their news from social media, a senator stressed the urgent need to combat the proliferation of fake news online.

“Huwag na tayo magpabola sa mga nagpapakalat ng fake news,” said Sen. Bam Aquino. “Panahon na para labanan ang pekeng balita sa Pilipinas”.

“Hindi lang nakakasira ng reputasyon ang pekeng balita, nilalayo pa tayo sa tunay at mahalagang isyu ng lipunan,” he added.

While he supports the passage of Senate Bill No. 1429, Sen. Bam said it needs to be discussed further.

“Nagkakaisa kami ni Sen. Joel na naniniwala na lahat, lalo na ang ating sworn public servants, ay dapat managot sa pagkalat ng maling balita,” he added.

“Pero marami pa tayong kailangan klaruhin, like what is considered a reasonable period for a social media platform to be able to put down a fake post? What would be an acceptable basis for branding fake news?” Sen. Bam said.

In addition, Sen. Bam called for stakeholders cooperation, from government officials, social media platforms and schools to combat fake news online.

“Kailangan natin ng kooperasyon ng lahat, lalo na mula sa mga opisyal ng pamahalaan, at mga social media platforms para labanan natin ang pagkalat ng pekeng balita sa Internet,” said Sen. Bam, who during his stint as chairman of the Committee on Education pushed for social media literacy in schools.

“In a hearing on social media literacy last year, we already called on schools to better educate the youth on fake news and cyberbullying,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam said fake news is not just a local concern but a worldwide phenomenon, with different countries starting different initiatives to battle its spread.

Countries like France are strengthening their fact-checking capabilities while Germany has passed legislation to regulate social media.

In Malaysia, online chat administrators are facing legal action for allowing spread of disinformation among members of their groups.

Sen. Bam also said Indonesia is setting up an agency that will tackle fake news.

“We must study all possible courses of action and learn from the best and most effective practices,” he said.

Bam urges stakeholders to join forces vs trolls, misinformation on social media

Sen. Bam Aquino called on different stakeholders, led by the Department of Education (DepEd), to join forces in combating rampant trolling and spread of misinformation on social media.

 “We need to address the volume and frequency issues with the same volume and frequency,” Sen. Bam pointed out during the Committee on Education hearing on the responsible use of social media in schools.

“Maybe we can work on something that can match that level of speed, exponential growth and energy that we see online,” added Sen. Bam, chairman of the said committee.

Sen. Bam filed Senate Resolution No. 173 to determine how schools are educating and developing students regarding the responsible social media use.

Sen. Bam said DepEd can lead the way by conducting a “media literacy week” or “responsible social media use week” to jumpstart the move.

“This is something we can explore further and I’m confident that everyone will be willing to volunteer,” said Sen. Bam.

Aside from DepEd, Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa and Carlo Ople of Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) also attended the event.

Both Ressa and Ople expressed willingness to help the initiative against trolling and misinformation on social media.

“Trolling is a global phenomenon. Real victims are those who believe in misinformation. We need explosive and faster solutions,” said Ople.

Ressa stressed the need to integrate responsible use of social media in schools, reiterate moral obligations and strengthen constructive debates to fight the spread of hate on social media.

 The DepEd, for its part, has established mechanisms that would guide “digital learners’” to make them responsible social media users.

“Right now, the concern is there. Na-recognize na may problema at na-recognize rin na ang solusyon dito hindi lang magagawa ng isang grupo o ahensiya. Kailangan magtulong-tulong ang iba’t ibang sektor para masolusyonan ito,” said Sen. Bam.

Ultimately, Sen. Bam said the move “aims to create a society that is more humane and compassionate towards each other and a Philippines that is more tolerant of different ideas and beliefs”.

 

Bam: Educate students on proper, responsible use of social media

Worried by the prevalence of misinformation and use of abusive language in social media, especially by so-called “paid trolls”, a senator wants schools to educate, guide and develop students on responsible and proper social media use.

In Senate Resolution No. 173, Sen. Bam Aquino calls on the Senate to conduct an inquiry on the proper education and development of responsible social media use in schools.

“Our schools can play a critical role in guiding students to become ethical and productive digital citizens and to communicate properly and respectfully online,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

 In addition, learning institutions can teach students on how to determine reliability and credibility of online news and views, practice digital safety and prudence and to create a positive digital footprint.

“Social norms, best practices, and guidelines for social media use are still evolving, which is why our children and the youth need guidance on proper and responsible social media use,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam pointed out the growing concern across the globe over how social media is increasingly being used and abused to spread fake news and misinformation.

“In the Philippines, this unfortunate phenomenon was observed widely during and following the recent national elections,” Sen. Bam said, mentioning social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

As a response, some of these social media companies have initiated moves to combat misinformation and fraudulent news that emerge online.

 Recently, Facebook and Twitter joined over thirty major news and technology organizations in the First Draft Partner Network to collectively address “issues of trust and truth in reporting information that emerges online.”

The Network plans to share best practices and a collaborative platform for verifying news and stories shared in social media, and promote news literacy among social media users;

In January 2015, Facebook updated its News Feed to reduce the distribution of posts that users have reported as hoaxes. Annotations were also made to posts that were frequently reported as false or misleading so as to warn others on the platform.

Twitter, for it part, released new guidelines in December 2015 for the removal and moderation of abusive, hostile and offensive language on its platform.

According to latest data, the Philippines has the second highest social media penetration rate among internet users in Southeast Asia, with 39.7 million people, representing 74 percent of its internet users, regularly visiting a social network in 2015.

Help Save Lives thru Social Media – Sen. Bam

As Metro Manila anticipates the strong landfall of Typhoon Ruby tonight, Senator Bam Aquino encourages netizens to use social media in mitigating disasters such as typhoons and other occurrences where many lives are at stake.

 

 

“Let us use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to aid in the efforts of rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts during calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes and armed conflicts,” said Aquino.

 

 

“We can harness the vast power of social media and the Internet to help save lives of fellow Filipinos who are in danger during calamities and other incidents,” the senator emphasized.

 

 

Aquino said netizens play a big role during calamities as they can help disseminate relevant news to others though social media, using the right hashtags to get the messages across.

 

 

“Let us share relevant information to our social media circles – storm signal warnings, emergency tips, monitoring of rescue operations, and call for volunteers for relief operations,” Aquino added.

 

 

“With the advanced technology that we have such as Internet-capable smartphones and cameras, we can play a big part in saving lives during these challenging times for our people,” the senator stressed.

 

 

Aquino also urges netizens to follow important agencies like Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine National Police, NDRRMC, PAGASA/DOST and news agencies on Twitter and Facebook for important updates during calamities.

 

 

Earlier, Aquino encouraged netizens to be more actively involved in the government’s campaign against illegal activities, saying social media has a key role in preventing and solving crimes.

 

 

“We can use the Internet in meaningful activities like helping the government in its quest to lessen, if not completely eradicate, crimes in our society,” the senator said.

 

 

Aquino said the arrest of policemen involved in the daring daytime robbery along EDSA would not have been possible if not for the brave netizen who posted the photo online.

 

 

Social media has been a good source of worthy causes, such as the finding of missing persons, reporting of unlawful incidents, lauding local heroism, and fund raising and volunteer recruitment for socio-civic projects.

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