CATHOLICS must be vigilant on the content they consume on social media to avoid manipulative propaganda.
Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, media director of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP,) emphasized this and stressed the importance of countering media propaganda through “empowered and inclusive” social media content.
“News media has been used not for the good but for propaganda. [There are] many stories beyond the borders. We [just] have to influence the public to do the right thing,” he said during the press conference for the Catholic Social Media Awards (CSMA) at Diligence Cafe Katipunan in Quezon City last Aug 22.
On its fourth year, the Catholic Social Media Awards (CSMA) aims to train the spotlight on unheard stories, with the theme “Honoring Catholic Online Communication.”
Christine Paguirigan, YouthPinoy movement secretary general and alumna of the University, said Catholics should have the initiative to help the public avoid harm from social media.
“Mayroong bias na kapag Catholic ka, ayaw kang pakinggan [and] I think one bridge para ma-overcome natin iyon is to engage with people,” Paguirigan said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
(There is a bias…when you are a Catholic, people will not listen to you, and I think It’s a bridge we need to overcome by engaging with people.)
Reynald Ramirez, senior digital producer of ABS-CBN, said people must speak out because social media tends to be echo chamber where only one side of the story is seen.
CSMA was launched in 2016 by YouthPinoy, a group of “online evangelizers,” and Areopagus Communications Inc. led by Quitorio.
This year’s CSMA will be held on Nov. 16. M.C.L. Serquiña
