Annoyed at fake news? Worried about the damage they might do to you and to your fellow netizens?
You might think fake news is pretty harmless because it is all virtual anyway, but you might want to change your mind now after Pizzagate and its scary real-world consequence.
On December 4, a man wielding an assault rifle, walked into a pizzeria in Washington, D.C, and fired at least one shot, which thankfully did not turn into a mass shooting incident.
28-year-old Edgar Maddison Welch of North Carolina tried to “self-investigate” Pizzagate, a conspiracy theory that started during the US elections involving Hillary Clinton.
The D.C. pizzeria Comet Ping Pong, a popular family restaurant, fell victim to fake news and conspiracy theories, to the extent that its owner, staff and neighboring businesses were attacked online and received death threats.
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Comet owner said this in a statement:
“What happened today demonstrates that promoting false and reckless conspiracy theories came with consequences. I hope that those involved in fanning these flames will take a moment to contemplate what happened here today, and stop promoting these falsehoods right away.”
According to the fake news stories, Clinton and her campaign chief were allegedly running a child sex ring from the pizzeria’s backrooms. Similar anti-Clinton conspiracy stories involving pedophilia were even shared by Michael Flynn, whom US President-elect Donald Trump eyed for national security.
Well, the Philippines did have its own version, with Duterte’s campaign spokesperson and newly appointed National Irrigation Administration chief Peter Tiu Laviña sharing fake news too. Remember that photo of a Brazilian rape victim he passed off as a girl in the Philippines that he shared or that hoax about African presidents calling Duterte a hero? When he was told that it is a satirical article, he just laughed it off, saying “The world needs laughter.”
Even Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. shared a fake article about Hillary Clinton allegedly calling Duterte “the world’s man.”
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Now, how do can each one of us contribute to stopping fake news online?
We’d like to use Mr. Riyoh, the Holocaust denier, who also shared a fake news about Senator Leila De Lima pushing for a social media ban in the Philippines.
Here are the three simple steps on how to block fake news on Facebook:
- Click on the drop-down option on the upper right corner of the fake article being shared on Facebook and choose “Report post.”
- Select “It’s a fake news story,” then click “Continue.”
- You can choose “Mark this post as fake news.” If you don’t want to see more of Mr. Riyoh’s posts, you can also select “Block Mr. Riyoh.”
Mr. Riyoh is an avid Duterte supporter who recently got slammed by Superficial Gazette and other netizens for saying that “Hitler did not kill Jews.” He, along with his hacker group called Duterte Cyber Warriors (DCW), issued a threat against “Yellow zombies” and anti-Duterte people on social media.
Sources: (vox.com, salon.com, washingtonpost.com)
Be Informed. Beat the Trolls, Share the Truth!
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