A non-profit organization recently partnered with a local artist to help the public learn how to identify false information online.
The Foundation for Media Alternatives, a media organization for developing communities, collaborated with Cainta-based artist Kevin Eric Raymundo, also known as “Tarantadong Kalbo” on Facebook in producing a comic strip about disinformation and misinformation on social media.
The FMA posted this on November 16 and had since earned more than 5,100 shares on the social networking site.
It also garnered over 1,600 reactions where more than half are positive reactions.
“Ngayong araw na ito, gusto namin ipakilala sa inyo ang bagong kaibigan at ka-collab na si Tarantadong Kalbo at ang kanyang obra patungkol sa isang komik na ang tinatalakay ay kung paano malalaman kung peke o mali ang inuulat at ibinabahagi na balita sa social media,” the post read.
The comic strip titled “Inuman Sessions: Fake News” follows a character asking his two friends how to know a post about is fake or not.
The two friends cited tacky layout in terms of colors and fonts, grammatical errors, usage of movie quotes, and odd editing of photos as among the elements of a fake news post.
They also suggested to check the date and content of the post, the sources and if ever they have links of websites and blogs to determine misleading information.
The real names of Filipinos mentioned in the story were changed. This include names of bloggers who are vocal supporters of the Duterte administration.
One of the fictional characters’ name is “Sarah Elabyu,” which is a parody of Rep. Sarah Elago (Kabataan Party-list). The fictional post can then be likened to the Elago’s case as the comic strip discusses fake news and red-tagging.
Elago has been accused of being associated with the New People’s Army, the armed-wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines in various false social media posts.
The lawmaker previously addressed called out these posts as fake news.
Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy has also previously publicly tagged lawmakers, academics, journalists and other activists as members of the CPP-NPA.
The comic artist
Raymundo, the comic artist, only started his Facebook page for his comic strips in 2019 and had since gained over 98,000 followers as of writing.
His caricatures depict or articulate the social climate of Filipinos on national concerns and problems during the pandemic in a humorous and often satirical way.
Raymundo’s latest collaboration with FMA was deemed timely as some peddlers of fraudulent posts have also started using logos and social media card templates of mainstream news outlets in the past months to make their posts look authentic.
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