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MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Seven out of 10 adult Filipinos believe the problem of fake news and its spread on the internet is serious, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The survey, done from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16 through in-person interviews of 1,440 adults, found 69 percent of Filipinos saying the problem of fake news in the media is serious, up from 60 percent in December 2017.
According to SWS, 32 percent of respondents believe fake news in media like television, radio, and newspaper was 鈥渧ery serious,鈥� 38 percent said it was 鈥渟omewhat serious,鈥� 6 percent said it was 鈥渟omewhat not serious鈥� and 3 percent think it was 鈥渘ot serious at all.鈥� Meanwhile, 21 percent were undecided.
Fake news on the internet like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are also serious, according to 67 percent of respondents, with 32 percent saying it is 鈥渧ery serious鈥� and 35 percent 鈥渟omewhat serious.鈥�
Five percent think fake news on the internet is 鈥渟omewhat not serious,鈥� 3 percent said it was 鈥渘ot serious at all,鈥� while 24 percent were undecided.
The issue of fake news in media worsened in all areas since December 2017, with those who consider it serious rising to 79 percent in December 2021 from 68 percent in Metro Manila, 71 percent from 61 percent in Luzon outside Metro Manila, 65 percent from 61 percent in Mindanao, and 63 percent from 51 percent in the Visayas.
SWS also found that 51 percent of Filipinos find it difficult to spot fake news from television, radio or social media (13 percent 鈥渧ery difficult鈥� and 38 percent 鈥渟omewhat difficult鈥�) while 48 percent can spot it easily (37 percent 鈥渟omewhat easy鈥� and 11 percent 鈥渧ery easy鈥�).
One in five, or 20 percent, said they 鈥渙ften鈥� saw or read fake or wrong information on television, radio or social media while 40 percent said they saw it 鈥渟ometimes,鈥� 35 percent 鈥渟eldom鈥� and 4 percent 鈥渘ever.鈥�
The percentage of those who say they often spot fake information is highest in Metro Manila at 34 percent, followed by Luzon outside Metro Manila at 23 percent, Visayas at 15 percent and Mindanao at 11 percent.
Fake news in the media is considered more serious by those who can spot them easily and those who often encounter fake news on television, radio, and social media.
By educational attainment, fake news in the media is considered more serious among college graduates at 74 percent.