Role of Public Affairs in addressing fake news
It is a common concern all over the world that the spread of high-speed internet and other technological advances have fueled a high surge in releasing fabricated news online. Modern technology has greatly affected and influenced the authenticity of some of the news we read online. Since it influences the perception of every individual, modern technology also gives everyone the capability to disseminate confusing and baseless information that affects the emotional sensitivity of the people, creating confusion among readers.
It is no secret that fake news affect all aspects of life. It seeks to mislead rather than educate readers. For the Philippine Army, fake news is an important issue to address, because terrorist groups like Maute, Abusayyaf Group (ASG), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Islamic State of Iran and Syria (ISIS) are utilizing social media and the internet to mislead and terrorize the people, spread their ideology, and radicalize the youth and recruit fighters. Even the government has started to recognize that fake news must be actively fought. Lawmakers are working on passing a resolution that aims to regulate and punish websites and social media accounts that publish and propagate misinformation. But for an organization that has no control over the internet and what is posted online, how can we address fake news?
As a Public Affairs Specialist, I believe that we have a crucial role in helping our organization in addressing fake news. We must help minimize the propagation of misinformation in our country. First and foremost, we must always seek to tell the truth. We must educate the public the importance of releasing facts and reliable information. We must always ensure that the integrity and credibility of the Philippine Army must be maintained in all our information releases. Accurate, balanced, and credible information must always be our priority when informing the public.
Furthermore, we must provide timely and relevant information. We must always be prepared to release timely, factual and accurate information in order to prevent and counter the propaganda materials and articles of the enemy and trolls that aim to mislead the public. Moreover, the active release of complete and accurate information influences the perceptions of the people and clarifies any form of misunderstanding among the public. It is the key tool for countering the impact of enemy information operation, because when the adversaries release fake news, timely and accurate dissemination of information is the most effective defense since it counters and neutralizes what the enemy previously started.
Aside from that, we must always remind the public to be mindful of what they post and share. We must educate them to refrain from posting information on social media that would mislead the public. They must also make sure that the source is reliable and that the information is factual and backed by evidence before sharing articles online. Readers must know how to identify what is true and what is not.
We must always ensure that the integrity and credibility of the Philippine Army must be maintained in all our information releases. Accurate, balanced, and credible information must always be our priority when informing the public.
In conclusion, news plays a critical part in our life and it influences us tremendously. This is why it’s important to make good use of our abilities to determine whether a piece of news is trust worthy or not. This is why it is also important for us Public Affairs Specialists and Soldiers to do our part in helping the Army and our government prevent and address fake news.
