USC students pledge to fight disinformation, defend press freedom

CEBU, Philippines – What is your pledge to fight disinformation?

On August 30, 2018, students at the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City answered this question at the #MoveCebu: Social good in the digital age forum and workshop.

After a stimulating morning forum with speakers from Manila and Cebu, USC students worked on honing their skills at workshops held during the afternoon.

Outside the workshop venue, Rappler set up a photo booth where students could answer one of two questions: “What is your pledge to fight disinformation?” and “What is your pledge to defend press freedom?”

Students shared their learnings from the morning sessions as well as their own inspiring vows to help keep their social feeds free from misleading posts and harmful trolls.

Here’s what they pledged:

 

Critical thinking and responsible posting were the main themes of the answers, with one student pledging to speak for the truth, and another pledging to educate the misinformed. 

Responsible use of social media

During the morning’s forum, students listened to industry leaders as they talked about the dangers of staying silent amidst the current landscape of disinformation and trolls.

In the afternoon workshops, students discovered several ways to practice the responsible use of social media. (READ: How to be a responsible netizen? Keep calm and think before you click) 

One of the ways discussed was by learning how to report critical alerts during disaster situations using MovePH’s Agos platform. By being aware of the proper hashtags and keywords, participants were able to practice the necessary skills for saving lives in emergencies.

Checking your sources

 

In terms of article writing and reporting, workshop participants were able to flex their fingers during the storytelling session where they learned the importance of checking and even double-checking their sources before accepting information. (READ: How we do our fact check) 

Aside from practicing effective storytelling for digital platforms, they learned that, as leaders in their communities, it is crucial to ensure the validity of the information they hold before share it with their peers.

Staying engaged online

The third workshop session centered on fact-checking and using their social media presence to stop the spread of disinformation. Participants were able to test their knowledge of spotting disinformation and fake news online. (READ: In fighting disinformation and trolls, silence ‘cannot be an option’) 

Workshop participants got a closer look at how they can bring social good onto the digital landscape.

Armed with the inspiring words from the morning session and the knowledge learned from the workshops, #MoveCebu attendees ended the day as vanguards of the information being shared online.

Are you interested in partnering with Rappler and MovePH? Fill up the form here! –Rappler.com 

Check the complete set of pledges made by USC students here.