TRUTH FAIRIES: The Impact of Citizen Journalism
Things do evolve from time to time. As facts and information evolve, there are also new ways for dissemination. However, misinformation and disinformation benefits from the evolution. In this way, journalism morphs into different forms in a way that public are involved in providing the truth. Thus, citizen journalism is born Citizen Journalism proves that we should always be skeptical about the truth. Even journalists also are victims of misinformation especially when they are manipulated or threatened by those who are in power because news is political.
It may sound cliché but the internet is a powerful tool when it comes to information. It never fails to amaze me on how social media users can be influential in providing the truth. They have the ability to become an asset in filling out additional information and sides of a certain story that the public haven’t seen yet. With a single retweet, information can travel from different accounts of certain mutual to mutuals of the mutual and so on to the point that it can be seen by the majority users of the platform. It proves that “May paa ang balita” and it is the birthplace of new information. In the modern days, Twiiter has been a vital platform in the progression of the Filipinos since most of its users are Gen Z’s and millennials which are core contributors to new ideologies for the growth of the future generations of the country.
The incidents discussed on the Tedtalk are timely as those are still happening as of today. From police brutality and assumed death from natural causes (Sounds familiar right?), these are many controversial stories that are intended to blind the public. The public should be equipped with literacy and intellectual knowledge so they can’t be victims of being blind. Notice how the minority sector (marginalized, lower class, indigenous peoples) will likely be most affected with news manipulation that is why citizen journalism exists.
We live in a society where the consumer of news can be the caterer of news. Take note that journalists were once publics too. We should be fact hungry as citizens of a society. We don’t know the true intentions by those who try to alter truth but we should be aware the impact that they may have to social progress. Think of the biological concept of mutualism. Journalists benefit the public and the public can benefit the journalists too. In this way, the two can coexist together to attain the formidable truth as a sign of societal progress.
