Tearful Philippine influencers grilled over Duterte ‘fake news’ admit errors, but change needed
Some critics welcomed the accountability for social media figures, while others felt the hearing focused more on settling scores than addressing structural issues
However, observers say the spectacle did little to address the deeper disinformation networks at play, suggesting that lawmakers appeared more focused on public shaming than tackling the underlying structural and political factors of false content online.
The hearing, held on March 21 by the House TriComm – consisting of committees on information and communications technology, public information, and public order and safety – came amid a surge of online misinformation seeking to discredit the ICC’s investigation into Duterte’s deadly drug war and portray his arrest as unlawful or politically motivated.
During the hearing, lawmakers confronted influencers about unverified claims and personal attacks made to their large online followings. The intensity of the questioning caused two influencers to break down in tears and issue public apologies for disseminating false information.
“I post what I feel at the moment … basically those are my feelings,” she told lawmakers.
She thought she was in the clear because she had used the word daw (allegedly). Rattled by the questioning, she became emotional and wept.