A media group is targeting to launch a mobile-counterpart of their application which was earlier launched to address the spread of misinformation online, considering that the campaign period of the 2019 midterm will kick off months from now.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) had recently launched Fakeblok, an application that is only available for personal computer users.
Originally launched in March 2017, Fakeblok is a plug-in available for Google Chrome, designed to block fake news posted on social medias such as Facebook.
According to NUJP Secretary General Elizabeth Panelo-Castaneda, they wanted to expand the application to the mobile users especially that the election is fast approaching.
“The app is very timely, especially it’s election season. We are expecting an abundance of fake news from all sides of the political spectrum. As media, it is our duty to be vigilant,” Castaneda said.
She said that 95% of the Filipino are mobile internet users.
“Considering it is still in a trial launch, we have been constantly communicating with the developer, since it is only applicable to (Google) Chrome users,” Castaneda said.
To address the problem, she said that NUJP will be launching a Facebook page wherein netizens are also welcome to participate by submitting the link of dubious sites that are posting fake news and other malicious content. Same participation goes to the app version.
However, the app version would sanitize your Facebook newsfeed from fake news sites.
Reported links would then be verified by working Filipino journalist who will verify the credibility of the website.
Once deemed fake, it will automatically be added to Fakeblok’s list of fake news sites.
Castaneda, also a Training Officer for ABS-CBN’s Bayan Mo, Ipatrol Mo campaign, said the app “encourages a shared responsibility between the media and the public in the fight against fake news.”
Although she clarified that Fakeblok does not totally block the website, for the app will only warn the user about the link’s legitimacy as a news source.
“We still give the jurisdiction to the public, whether they would still continue reading the reported website,” She added, “All we are saying is that we are already exerting our efforts to verify these reported websites.
