Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., former senator and son of a dictator and plunderer, recently announced his candidacy for the 2022 presidential election. Along with his announcement, several hashtags topped the trends list on social media networks such as #MarcosMagnanakaw, #NeverAgain, and #BBMIsMyPresident.
However, one of the trending hashtags, particularly #BBMIsMyPresident, caught the eye of the public as most of the social media users who were using the hashtag are newly-made accounts and are allegedly paid trolls.
Assembly of Social Media Puppets
Today, when everything can seemingly be done in an instant, creating a troll account has become a breeze.
The question here is, how do we ascertain that an account is a paid troll?
In 2020, the continuous surge of new troll accounts led Globe, one of the leading network service providers in the Philippines, to create a list of characteristics to determine a troll account. Troll accounts consist of the following specifications: (1) a seemingly random combination of numbers and letters on their account name, (2) use of clip art, scenery, flag of a country, cartoons, memes, and even celebrities as their profile pictures, (3) newly-created accounts, and (4) copy pasted or fake news contents.
The mentioned specifications are met by most of the accounts that use the #BBMIsMyPresident hashtag.
But why would Marcos hire a troll farm to support his campaign?
Waging War against History
The Marcoses continuously utilize social media platforms to spread their never-ending lies and cover up their patriarch’s bloody, corrupt, and inhumane regime.
Some of the alleged troll accounts claim that Bongbong Marcos’ father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., never stole from the Filipino people. However, the Sandiganbayan Second Division mandated the Royal Traders Holding Co. to pay the Philippine government the amount of recovered bank certificates from the Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth. Along with this, Imelda Marcos, Bongbong Marcos’ mother, was charged with seven graft cases in 2018.
The alleged trolls also spread fake news regarding the “achievements” of the late dictator. Nonetheless, they are noticeably mum on the six billion dollar debt that Marcos left for Filipinos to pay after his bloody administration.
Another claim made by the accounts was that Bongbong Marcos was “robbed” of the vice presidency by the incumbent Leni Robredo through electoral fraud. However, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) favored that there was no failure on both the first count and Marcos’ petition for a recount. In short, Robredo is the real winner of the 2016 Vice Presidential race.
Prevalence of False Realities: What can we do?
The increasing number of fake news and trolls on social media networks is alarming, especially that we are getting closer to the 2022 Elections.
There are millions of social media users, and many of them are not capable of fact-checking articles, photos, and posts online. This creates a flow of distorted reality that would poison public discourse.
Looking back, social media definitely helped Rodrigo Duterte win the 2016 Presidential elections. As a result, Duterte forged a corrupt, inhumane, and self-serving administration.
As responsible social media users, the public must uphold the integrity in posting online. A single click can lead to various chains of events, whether good or bad.
Let us not give these trolls a space and platform to further spread their fake news. Do not engage and waste your energy trying to have a discourse with troll accounts. Instead, block and report the accounts.
Nevertheless, the people behind these troll accounts are also victims of the Marcoses’ scheming ploys. This family continuously exploits numerous Filipino people who are in dire need to provide for their families.
But why do they resort to this? It all boils down to the failed system of the Philippine government. The lack of basic services and the rising unemployment rate leaves these workers with no choice but to accept whatever job is on the table.
One might wonder: What’s so bad about Bongbong Marcos? If it was his father’s sin, then is it even his fault to begin with?
However, Bongbong Marcos has been leeching off of his dictator and human rights violator father’s so-called-accomplishments all throughout his political career. Marcos willingly contributed to the historical distortion for his own gain and continuously denied the human rights victims the justice that they truly deserve.
The Marcoses will do whatever it takes to get back in power, but the public will always see them as sore losers and pretentious liars who have deluded themselves through their own lies.
We should not give him a bigger platform to spit more lies and distort the nation’s history.
Register and vote.
#NeverAgain
#NeverForget
Featured image courtesy of Reuters
