Pulse Asia: 86% of Filipinos say Fake News is a Problem

Fake News by Nick YoungsonCC BY-SA 3.0Alpha Stock Images

by Pulse Asia

About nine (9) out of every 10 adults (86%) are of the view that false news or fake news is a problem in the Philippines. This is the prevailing sentiment at the national level (86%) as well as in each geographic area and socio-economic grouping (77% to 92% and 74% to 93%, respectively). Agreement with this opinion is more pronounced in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon than in the Visayas and Mindanao (87% to 92% versus 77% to 81%) and in the better-off Classes ABC and D than the poorest Class E (87% to 93% versus 74%). (Please refer to Table 1.)

Table 1
WHETHER OR NOT FALSE NEWS OR FAKE NEWS
IS A PROBLEM IN THE COUNTRY

September 17 - 21, 2022 / Philippines
(In Percent)

An overwhelming majority of the country’s adult population (90%) have read, heard, and/or watched fake political news; internet or social media (68%) and television (67%) are the leading sources of fake news about government and politics

Almost the same percentages of adults have read, heard, and/or watched false news about government and politics a few times a week (26%), a few times a month (25%), or at least once a day (21%). Meanwhile, the rest of those aware of such fake news have read, heard, and/or watched fake political news once a week (17%). A tenth of Filipino adults (10%) are not aware of untrue news regarding government and politics. (Please refer to Table 2.)

Table 2
FREQUENCY OF READING, HEARING, OR WATCHING NEWS
ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS THAT ARE UNTRUE OR FAKE NEWS

September 17 - 21, 2022 / Philippines
(In Percent)

In Metro Manila and Class ABC, around the same percentages have read, heard, and/or watched such news either at least once a day (35% to 37%) or a few times a week (26% to 34%). Among Visayans, nearly the same percentages encounter fake political news either a few times a month (35%) or once a week (26%). Pluralities in the rest of Luzon and Mindanao come across such news a few times a week (37%) and a few times a month (43%), respectively. Those in Class D are split almost evenly, with 25% reading, hearing, and/or watching fake political news a few times a week, 25% a few times a month, 20% at least once day, and 20% once a week. In Class E, practically the same percentages consume such fake news either a few times a month (38%) or a few times a week (27%).

Sizeable majorities identify either social media or the internet (68%) or television (67%) as their source of fake news about government and politics. Radio and friends/acquaintances make up a second group of fake news sources (32% and 28%, respectively). For 21% of adults aware of fake political news, they obtained such news from family/relatives. The least often mentioned sources of fake political news are community leaders (4%), newspapers (3%), and religious leaders (1%). (Please refer to Table 3.)

Table 3
SOURCE OF MISINFORMATION OR FAKE NEWS
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

September 17 - 21, 2022 / Philippines
(In Percent / Multiple Response Allowed)

Small to huge majorities in most areas and all socio-economic groupings encountered fake political news online (60% to 78% and 62% to 78%, respectively) and on television (66% to 85% and 52% to 72%, respectively). Most Visayans (63%) also cite radio as their source for such news. In Mindanao, basically the same percentages came across fake political news on the internet (47%), on television (47%), from friends/acquaintances (47%), and on the radio (38%).

Social media influencers, bloggers, and/or vloggers are seen by most Filipino adults (58%) as peddlers of fake news about government and politics

For a small majority of adults (58%), social media influencers, bloggers, and/or vloggers are responsible for spreading fake political news in the country – an opinion shared by most Metro Manilans (69%), those in the rest of Luzon (67%), and those belonging to Class ABC and D (69% and 58%, respectively). Most Visayans (67%) identify national level politicians as one of the entities spreading fake new about government and politics. In Mindanao, the most often mentioned responses are social media influencers (43%) and journalists (41%). As for those in Class E, they are most inclined to consider social media influencers, bloggers, and/or vloggers (49%) and national level politicians (40%) are among those peddling false political news. (Please refer to Table 4.)

Table 4
PEOPLE OR GROUPS THAT ARE SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION
OR "FAKE NEWS" ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

September 17 - 21, 2022 / Philippines
(In Percent / Multiple Response Allowed)

While 44% of Filipino adults are certain that the political news they consume is not fake news, another 44% express indecision on the matter

A big plurality of the adult population in the country (44%) say they are sure that the political news they are reading is not false or untrue. On the other hand, another 44% of adults are unable to say if they are sure or unsure that the political news they are consuming is not. The rest of Filipino adults (11%) admit they are not certain about the veracity of news about political and government that they come across. In every geographic area and essentially all classes, about the same percentages are either sure that the political news they consume is not fake news (40% to 47% and 41% to 44%, respectively) or are ambivalent on the matter (41% to 48% and 45% to 46%, respectively). It is only in Class ABC where the majority sentiment is one of certainty that the political news one consumes is true (52%). (Please refer to Table 5.)

Table 5
CONFIDENCE IN THE TRUTHFULNESS OF NEWS ABOUT
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS THAT RESPONDENTS ARE READING

September 17 - 21, 2022 / Philippines
(In Percent)

Most adults (55%) are confident in the ability of Filipinos to determine whether the political news they encounter is truthful or false

Confidence in the ability of their fellowmen to ascertain the truthfulness of political news they hear, read, and/or watch is the predominant sentiment not only in the country as a whole (55%) but also in Metro Manila (63%), the rest of Luzon (60%), Class ABC (56%), and Class D (57%). In the Visayas, Mindanao, and Class E, nearly the same percentages either share this opinion (46% to 49%) or are undecided on the matter (38% to 49%). At the national level, indecision is shared by 37% of the adult population. The rest of Filipino adults (7%) express a lack of confidence in the ability of their fellowmen to detect whether news about government and politics that they consume is truthful or false. (Please refer to Table 6.)

Table 5
CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF FILIPINOS TO DETERMINE THE TRUTHFULNESS OF NEWS ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

September 17 - 21, 2022 / Philippines
(In Percent)