Mayor Bullet Jalosjos warns netizens of fake news, urges responsible social media use

Dapitan City, February 20, 2024 – City Mayor Hon. Seth Frederick “Bullet” P. Jalosjos urged netizens to be vigilant against the spread of fake news online.

The Mayor’s call comes amidst growing concerns about the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms, which can have harmful consequences for individuals and communities

“In this digital age, it is critical that we become discerning consumers of news and information,” Mayor Jalosjos stated. “Fake news can easily spread online, and it can have serious consequences, such as eroding trust in institutions, instigating abuse, and even swaying public opinion.”

The City Information Division (CID) agrees with the Mayor Bullet’s timely caution for citizens to be vigilant against the widespread dissemination of fake news. CID Officer-in-Charge Engr. Ryann Elumba pointed out that the use of clickbait or the practice of writing sensationalized or misleading headlines in order to attract clicks on a piece of content This is one of the many methods to provoke the people to feel fear, dissatisfaction or anger for no reason.

“New developments in technology make it possible to create realistic but altered information in audio and video. This can trick people into believing lies,” Elumba added. He also emphasized that there are some social media accounts and vlogs that pretend to be legitimate sources of news but actually distribute false information in order to gain more followers and viewers or for other malicious reasons.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jalosjos urges netizens to take a moment to consider the source and potential impact of the information before sharing the information. Furthermore, he requests online users to engage positively and avoid spreading disinformation, report fake news, and promote media literacy.

“We must be critical consumers of information and responsible users of social media so that we can help fight fake news and make our community informed and civil,” concluded Mayor Jalosjos.