Rappler's latest stories on disinformation
FALSE: COVID-19 not real, Bill Gates behind the disease
The viral video contains several unproven conspiracy theories that were already debunked by fact checking organizations
FALSE: Court junks ABS-CBN franchise renewal
It is Congress, not the Court, that deliberates on franchise renewals. ABS-CBN’s petition also still remains pending before the SC, which will resume deliberations on July 13.
Microtargeting looms larger than ever in pandemic era
'Whoever has the most data will be the most powerful,' says former Cambridge Analytica employee-turned-whistleblower Brittany Kaiser in an upcoming Rappler Talk episode
FALSE: Boracay photos in 'disente' vs 'bastos' times
(UPDATED) The 'disente' photo was taken in March 2018, while the 'bastos' photo was a stock photo that has been used in some articles shortly before Boracay's closure in April 2018
FALSE: PH economy got worse after Marcos was ousted
Data show that the Philippine economy was already falling during the latter part of Marcos’ dictatorship
[OPINYON] Comments section, vicious sub-platform
Ang comments section ay tuntungan din ng mga tao upang magpahayag ng kanilang ideya na dati’y eksklusibo lang sa mga letter-to-the-editor section ng pahayagan
FALSE: Bela Padilla dies after being gunned down in car
Padilla is alive and has been active on social media platforms. The video used for the fake claim leads to a GMA News report on a shooting incident of a different woman.
Brazil's Senate approves controversial bill against disinformation
One of the bill's most controversial articles will require social media platforms to make supposedly confidential messages available to the judiciary for 3 months, including the identity of senders
FALSE: Tuob is a cure for COVID-19
The Department of Health says that tuob or steam inhalation does not kill the coronavirus that causes COVID-19
FALSE: Robredo 'says' lockdown should have started October 2019
The quote card containing the false quote edited an actual Rappler quote card featuring the Vice President
FALSE: Cavite to impose liquor ban starting July 1
The liquor ban in the province of Cavite has already lifted since June 1. The graphic used for the false claim was manipulated.
FALSE: Photo of Sarah Elago with new recruits to CPP-NPA
The caption in these posts misrepresent a photo that Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago herself posted from a hike for a cause event in March 2020. Rappler has previously fact checked a misrepresented photo of Elago from the same event.
Distorted Chinese, Russian virus news takes root in West – study
Whether it's distorted coverage or conspiracy theories, articles written in French and German by foreign state media are resonating widely on Facebook and Twitter, often with their origins unclear, the Oxford Internet Institute says
MovePH webinar: How fact-checking is done in investigative reporting
Join MovePH's webinar on fact checking and investigative reporting happening on Friday, July 3, at 4 pm via Zoom
FALSE: Trillanes says Duterte created COVID-19 with China
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV did not say the quote attributed to him
FALSE: Philippines is country with highest gold reserves
Official data from the World Bank show that the Philippines has never had the highest amount of gold reserves since 1960. IMF data also show the country is only ranked 23rd.
FALSE: Piolo Pascual dies in carjacking incident
The video clip in the claim is from a 2015 news report on a different carjacking incident
Facebook to notify users before they share old articles
Facebook will warn users when they share stories that are more than 90 days old
FALSE: Dwayne Johnson dies in June 2020
The celebrity is still alive. There is also no official report of Johnson’s death from BBC News, the source cited by the posts.
FALSE: Video of frontliner being raped then killed
The video attached was a short film taken out of context. No news organizations reported such an incident as of late.
Study shows news media still reliable source amid COVID-19 'infodemic'
All sources of information – from media to politicians to social media platforms – should work together to better inform the public about the coronavirus, says the lead author of a Reuters Institute study done in 6 countries
Asian fact-checkers deal with sensitivity, silencing of critics during pandemic
At the conference Global Fact 7, fact-checkers from the region tackle the country-specific challenges they've encountered while fact-checking in the time of coronavirus
FALSE: Sarah Elago quote threatening to 'destroy children's future'
Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago did not say this quote, which was already falsely attributed to her in the past
FALSE: Abu Sayyaf thanked actors, politicians opposing anti-terror bill
The website where the information came from says its source was only a meme that was made for fun
Beyond 'false' labels, experts call for broader access to fact-checking tools
Experts urge companies and platforms to provide more support in enabling people to fact-check on their own
FALSE: OVP sent spoiled food to frontliners at Diliman Doctors Hospital
Both the hospital and Vice President Leni Robredo deny the incident took place
FALSE: Heat, garlic, ginger can prevent COVID-19
There is no official cure or preventive treatment for COVID-19. The supposed cures in the post have been debunked by the WHO and fact checkers around the world
Over 6,000 false claims about COVID-19 debunked by global fact-checking alliance
There have been two phases in the surge of false information surrounding COVID-19: misinformation mostly from 'well-meaning people' and then disinformation, such as posts containing conspiracy theories
How U.S. disinformation threatens Black Lives Matter
Disinformation experts say campaigns from far-right white supremacist conspiracy groups threaten US anti-racism protests
FALSE: Cory Aquino's libel suit vs Beltran was not deemed press freedom issue
Accounts and articles show that the libel case was seen as an attack on press freedom
[OPINION] #ABiasCBN, #RapplerFakeNews: A case of pro-admin 'media literacy?'
'A democracy needs media-literate citizens who can hold their media institutions accountable, as much as we need these media institutions to do their jobs of holding the government accountable'
PARTLY FALSE: Cory Aquino to blame for media ownership provision in 1987 Constitution
The section that allows only Filipino citizens to own mass media in the country is also in the 1973 Constitution ratified under the Marcos administration
FALSE: Protesters at U.P. did not practice physical distancing
Sandra Aguinaldo, the reporter who originally uploaded the photo under scrutiny, posts photos from other angles and clarifies that there was physical distancing during the protest
Top Russia newspaper editors quit, denouncing censorship
While the daily newspaper focuses on business and industry news, its editorial section has become a vital space for dissenting voices and debate on political life in Russia
Judge Montesa 'failed to understand how journalism works'
The Consortium on Democracy and Disinformation blasts the verdict against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr, saying it puts everyone online in peril
FALSE: Derek Chauvin 'found dead in apartment'
CNN did not report Chauvin's death, nor did any other legitimate news sites
Media calls on EU to crack down on online disinformation
Broadcasters, publishers, and journalists call on the European Commission to implement 'much stronger measures' to combat disinformation on internet platforms such as Google and Facebook
Forum on the cyber libel verdict against Maria Ressa, Rappler
(UPDATED) The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 is scheduled to hand down its verdict on Rappler, its CEO Maria Ressa, and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr in the high profile cyber libel case on Monday, June 15
Democracy faces 'death by a thousand cuts' with looming anti-terror law – Maria Ressa
'All these kinds of legal acrobatics, the law has been weaponized. And now the question is if it's codified into law, it becomes the norm,' says Rappler CEO Maria Ressa
FALSE: OFW positive for coronavirus raped by camel in Riyadh
The video containing the preposterous claim is manipulated from a 2012 report about an OFW raped by police in Kuwait
FALSE: Kadamay placard demanding regular salary for rallyists
The photo was altered and Kadamay did not make such a demand
3 things to remember in fact checking historical claims
Remember these things every time you see a suspicious historical claim on social media, according to Filipino historian Xiao Chua
FALSE: DSWD 'gives P5,500 to every Facebook user'
Cash aid for every Facebook user? No such thing, says the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
FALSE: Ex-BIR chief Kim Henares 'speaks up' on computation of ABS-CBN's taxes
The video does not contain a statement or admission from former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Henares about ABS-CBN's taxes
EU accuses China, Russia of virus disinformation campaigns
The European Commission also accuses major online platforms of doing too little to help fact-checkers tackle the 'infodemic'
FALSE: Actor McCoy De Leon says Duterte urgently needs mental help
The graphic is manipulated and is not from ABS-CBN’s official channels
FALSE: Bill Gates is developing COVID-19 vaccines with microchips
There are no reports on studies being done on a COVID-19 vaccine with a microchip; Bill Gates has also denied the claim
#HandsOffOurStudents trends as Filipinos call out fake accounts swarming Facebook
'The real terrorists are behind these attacks to the privacy and security of students and people who are critical of the administration's incompetence,' a netizen says
'I don’t feel safe, Facebook': After discovery of ghost accounts, users demand better account protection
Facebook users harness their own online community to report and flag these suspicious accounts
Users report duplicate, dummy Facebook accounts in PH
While initially thought to be limited to activists and journalists in Cebu and Central Visayas, duplicate accounts are reported in areas across the country
