‘Marites’ culture and its contribution to theEcosystemofDeceptionandLiesinthe Philippines:AtakeonDisinformation

society normalizes gossip-mongering. Despite the fact that word-of-mouth propagation is a natural and unconscious process, individuals should restrict themselves to what they post online. This can be achieved by being wary about what we publish on social media and being critical of the sources of information.

transmission to digital proliferation of teas, the disinformation pandemic in the Philippines continues to become a pressing issue

In Philippine pop culture, the recently coined term ‘Marites’ refers to a gossiper, particularly a netizen who maintains tabs on bizarre events that happen on social media and talk ardently about other people’s news. Unfortunately, rumor-mongering by the modern tsismosa is nothing new to our culture.

Gossip, the favorite Filipino pastime, has taken a toll on social media, posing threats on possibly increasing disinformation in the country Take the recent national elections as an example of how lies and gossip can easily be perceived as the truth. With the use of social media, a ‘Marites’ who conveys information through online channels makes it easier to achieve public deception, considering that many Filipinos are still illiterate about credible sources of information This culture drives social manipulation and influences public opinion which can implicate both negative and positive effects on social behavior.

The mushrooming disinformation pandemic in the country, brought by the ‘Marites’ culture, continues to thrive because of how ..

Publishing bogus materials online subjects the person to criticism and scrutiny by the public eye Being cautious about what we post online means “thinking before we click” To effectively take this into consideration, we must first verify the accuracy of the information before posting it. Checking the accuracy of information necessitates critical thinking, a skill that requires objective analysis of an issue in order to form an informed judgment. Knowing what sources are credible enough for acquiring information entails understanding where certain information is coming from.

More importantly, creating a peaceful online community means upholding the ethics of social media usage, especially when dealing with information. Users must remember that there are consequences to every interaction made online – whether it may be positive or negative. The behavior we project on the internet highly reflects our core as individuals and as a community. We must always remember to be mindful of others’ right to privacy and practice proper behavior when interacting with people online

Gossip is merely a craftsman who guiles disinformation, but the principal architects of it are individuals networking from one social circle to another with the help of social media. The alarming spread of disinformation in the Philippines will remain a pressing issue unless we consider ways how we can improve media and information literacy among netizens. Should we normalize the ‘Marites’ culture, then how else could we put an end to this loop? Disengage from this toxicity and fight disinformation now!