The ills of social media

Initially, social media was meant to help people connect with their friends and loved ones who are unable to meet face-to-face due to geographical distance by using digital technology. The various platforms have become useful tools in sharing ideas or exchanging information through virtual networks and online communities.

It is just unbelievable how social media has evolved from 30 years ago when there was very little of the internet compared to what it is today. So many new platforms have come out, making it a worldwide phenomenon. Unfortunately, social media has also become the source of all sorts of trash and fake news, enabling criminals to engage in hacking, cyberbullying, financial scams and other kinds of cybercrimes that can destroy the reputation of individuals and institutions – even the fabric of society – particularly with the advent of generative AI technology that has the capability to generate fake text messages and videos.

As a natural consequence, the target of any kind of fake news is always the political leadership. Such was the case of PBBM who was recently the subject of nasty disinformation being circulated online that he was rushed to the hospital due to a medical emergency.

While the President laughingly dismissed the fake news as complete nonsense, a lot of people privately expressed their concern about the spread of false information through social media platforms that could easily undermine the country’s economy, bringing about a stock market crash.

It’s understandable why many countries, especially the United States, are extremely concerned about the use of AI and social media platforms to spread disinformation. Just a few days ago, the US accused Russian state media executives of engaging in a widespread campaign to spread disinformation and influence the outcome of the November presidential election by sowing discord and creating confusion among voters.

The US Justice Department said two executives of Russian state media company RT – formerly known as Russia Today – secretly paid close to $10 million to a Tennessee-based content creation company to produce English-language videos with “hidden Russian government messaging” and spread