PINAIGTING ng House tri-committee ang imbestigasyon nito kaugnay ng lumalalang krisis sa pagkalat ng maling impormasyon, kasabay ng pagbibigay ng babala sa publiko na ang patuloy na paglaganap ng fake news ay banta sa demokrasya, pambansang seguridad at tiwala ng mamamayan.

Ayon kay Surigao del Norte Rep. Johnny Pimentel, isa sa mga co-chair ng tri-comm, napapanahon na upang harapin ang naturang suliranin.

“We convene today (Friday) to continue our crucial inquiry into the pervasive issues of fake news and misinformation that have increasingly threatened our democratic processes, societal cohesion and individual understanding of truth,” ani Pimentel.

“Hindi na po biro ito dahil napakalaganap na ng mga fake news. Sagad na at walang pakundangan ang mga taong responsable sa pagpapakalat nito sa mga epekto sa taong kanilang pinupuntirya at pati na rin sa bansa. No one is safe. Wala nang sinasanto,” dagdag niya.

Ang imbestigasyon ay isinagawa kasunod ng privilege speech ni Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, na nagpahayag ng pangamba sa pamamayagpag ng fake news sa social media at ang posibleng panganib nito sa public order at national security.

Binigyang-diin ni Pimentel na kinakailangang suriin kung paano kumakalat ang fake news sa internet.

“We are here to examine the mechanisms that allow misinformation to proliferate—from social media algorithms that prioritize engagement over truth, to the role of various actors in producing and disseminating false narratives,” aniya.

Samantala, tinukoy rin ni Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino, co-chair ng tri-comm, ang lawak ng problema.

“Given the recent surge in disinformation posts, it becomes more imperative to explore effective countermeasures,” aniya.

Ayon kay Aquino, sa mga nakaraang pagdinig ay lumutang kung paano sistematikong nililikha at ikinakalat ang fake news.

“During the past two meetings, we have heard our resource persons discuss the information disorder and its impact on our society. The academe has laid the foundation by explaining the various types of information disorder, how troll accounts and fake news are produced, the consequences of spreading disinformation, and the strategies that we can utilize to combat false narratives on social media,” paliwanag ni Aquino.

Pinag-aralan din sa pagdinig ang papel ng social media platforms, independent fact-checkers at influencers sa pagpapakalat ng impormasyon.

“The concerned government agencies presented the actions they have undertaken so far in response to this issue and the challenges that they have encountered. Likewise, the independent media organizations walked us through the fact-checking process, while social media influencers shared their experience in creating social media content,” dagdag ni Aquino.

Binigyang-diin ng mga mambabatas ang kahalagahan ng regulasyon upang pigilan ang mabilis na pagkalat ng maling impormasyon.

“Fake news does not merely distort reality; it breeds distrust, fuels division and undermines the very fabric of informed citizenry that is essential to a thriving democracy,” babala ni Pimentel.

Nanawagan naman si Aquino sa mga mambabatas at iba pang sektor na maging aktibo sa paglaban sa disinformation.

“Let us put a stop to the spread of false information that undermines democratic institutions and processes, as well as distorts the way we perceive social realities,” saad nito.

Nanawagan si Aquino sa lahat na makiisa sa mga talakayan at tumulong upang matugunan ang isyu ng pagkalat ng maling impormasyon.

“Together, let us dissect and uncover the underlying causes of this issue so that we can once and for all push for policies that would create a social media environment that promotes a culture of responsible social media use, respectful of people’s rights and dignity,” pagtatapos ni Aquino.