Truth versus rage bait

The spread of misinformation is accelerating and we cannot afford to stay passive. It must be confronted before it further distorts truth and causes real harm to a public that may unknowingly trust what is fed to them by purveyors of fake and false news.

- JOE ZALDARRIAGA

In my last column, I wrote about a well-meaning public safety message on solar panels that was completely twisted on social media. In less than a week, it was transformed into a web of falsehoods, intentionally repackaged as “rage bait.” It became a stark and frustrating example of how social media can be weaponized: facts are distorted, emotions deliberately inflamed and ultimately, audiences were misled.

Social media pages and accounts of questionable origin suddenly emerged, aggressively targeting Meralco and even myself — pushing the absurd claim that we are “enemies of the sun” and opposed to solar energy. It was preposterous, ridiculous and baseless yet alarmingly, it was proliferated.

This is not the first or even the most blatant example of rage bait online. There is more content out there with deeper and more troubling intent, stirring not just anger but fear and division.

As a senior citizen who has seen how information used to be handled with greater care, I find this especially concerning. What we are witnessing is not just a passing trend. It is a symptom of a much larger problem. Disinformation has grown into this coordinated, highly profitable industry and one that thrives on confusion and exploits the trust of ordinary people.