With all the disturbing news in the country and the world, it’s time for us to speak out. In a world where social media reigns, it’s become your responsibility to learn how to use your platform effectively.

While most of us think that it just means spreading awareness about the issue, you can go much, much deeper than that.

1. Share content that educates.

Ever watch a video or read an article online that made you think, if only everyone knew this. Well the first step to using your platform is actually sharing that piece of content in your timeline or news feed. Sharing something nowadays literally only takes two taps, and it can already do so much.

Always remember that staying silent is why nothing gets changed in the first place. Make it a mindset to share anything that adds value to a topic that you feel needs to be talked about.

2. Do not underestimate your reach.

You may only have five followers, but never be discouraged to educate online just because you feel like you’re not “influential” enough. Changing the mind of even one single person is important in the grander scheme of things.

You never know how strong an impact you really have on others. Who knows? Maybe one of your followers could be so inspired with what you had shared that they start to influence their own set of followers instead.

And then it becomes a chain reaction with more people starting to influence each other…. just because you chose to share something online!

3. No dilly-dallying, take a stand.

Creating awareness about an issue and educating your friends aren’t enough. You absolutely need to pick a side and share your personal opinion to be successful in using your platform effectively.

While most hashtags are already a stand in of themselves, they’re really nothing without your personal input. Your internet moots would like to read something that comes from you personally. After all, they’re not online friends with the news organization where you had shared the article from, they’re friends with you.

If you want to change mindsets, you need to understand that you play a pivotal role that comes after awareness and education.

4. Speak like a human being to your audience.

This is a common mistake that a lot of people including myself make from time to time. Learning how to use your platform effectively means erasing your narcissism and pride. It’s the worst time to sound smart!

I know it’s not just me who rolls their eyes when they see an online post with so many “big” words. Yes, you can probably speak in perfect English and you know all these relevant concepts.

But who are you talking to here? Whose mindsets do you want to change? Do they understand you?

Flaunting your intellect and trying to outsmart others could actually be counterproductive in your goal to influence. It’s difficult to do especially when you’re used to a circle of friends that can understand what you’re trying to say.

If you want to influence others, however, you may have to dumb it down. Otherwise, you’ll find that the people whose opinions you want to challenge will just gloss over everything you had said.

5. Mix facts with emotions.

In using your platform, avoid sounding like a fact-spitting robot or an emotional trainwreck.

Do you know why the top-selling products on earth are probably not the best at solving the problems they try to address? Because advertisers know that having the best product is just half the game. Creating an emotional connection with their customers is what separates the top dog from the rest of the pack.

Trying to influence other people online isn’t a game of Jeopardy. You have to appeal to their emotions, too.

On the other hand, you can’t just let your emotions drive the statement you’re trying to make either. Cursing is okay, but it’s not really an effective way to use your platform. You have to explain why you feel strongly about something through facts.

6. Be creative.

If you’re an avid news feed scroller, you probably only read the posts with compelling images and videos. In the same way, when crafting a post online, make sure it’s not just a generic statement that anybody could make. It has to stand out!

All the things you have learned about how to use your platform so far will be for nothing if no one reads your piece.

Inject your personality into whatever you’re posting, and the reader will probably be enticed to listen to you more. This is why memes can be an integral part in many online movements. Humor is an effective way to educate others when done tastefully.

7. Defend your stance, but be open-minded.

Once you post your opinion to the world, there will undoubtedly be those who disagree with you. The first thing you need to do is to keep an open mind; maybe said person has a point. Now what you can do is engage with them so you can educate each other.

Correct yourself if you must. The worst thing you could do is be stubborn when all the facts had been laid out for you.

However, if you still feel that you’re right, you have to address their comment. It’s not a good look if there’s a flood of people contradicting your argument, and you have nothing to say to them. It makes you look like you didn’t really know what you were saying in the first place.

Finally, choose your battles wisely! You do not want to waste half of your day arguing with a troll who just wants to annoy you. Argue with the ones whose minds can be changed.

8. Persuade others to take action.

Now that you’ve convinced your followers that there is a terrible problem that needs to be addressed, the next step is, well, to tell them the next step. Basically, show them the way so they can help.

Is there a petition that they can sign? Is there somebody that they can e-mail? Can they donate somewhere? Whatever it is, remember to include that important information in your post. If you don’t, you’ll basically just leave your followers hanging without knowing what to do.

People’s attention spans are short. If they’re not able to take action ASAP, the worst thing that could happen is their losing interest. They may forget to help out in the future.

You don’t have to follow all of these items in the list every time you want to signal-boost an issue, but it’s just a guide on how to use your platform to its fullest potential. The most important thing to realize is that you, a zoomer, have the power to influence other people, no matter how small you feel in this world.

Feel like you now have to use your platform for something? You can read up certain issues that the Philippines have come across during the coronavirus pandemic here. Don’t forget to follow us @ZoomersCornerPH on Twitter!

Featured Image: Plann on Pexels

The post ‘Use Your Platform’: What it Means and How to Do it Effectively appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Dear Facebook, you have effectively killed our democracy by turning a blind eye on fake news and troll accounts. Do we need to start our own Facebook ad boycott in the Philippines to get you to listen to us?

We know you don’t care much when you’re still turning profit from our advertising pesos, but tech giants like yourself need to know your place. Stop messing with how the world operates because if the people get angry enough, we could crush you like the bug that you are.

Facebook is Basically a Military-Grade Weapon

Just weeks ago, something crazy jolted me up from the bed, and into a pool of anger. A lot of my friends and I who had graduated from, or studied in the University of the Philippines, woke up to news that gave me absolute goosebumps. Multiple “duplicate” accounts had been created using our names overnight. These accounts had a default profile picture, which was a huge indicator that they were created by trolls. Oh, and what’s worse is, some of these accounts were sending threatening messages to the real users.

Now, some of you might be wondering why it’s such a scary thing. Well, this happened right at the peak of the #JunkTerrorBill movement that forced a lot of zoomers to speak out online against the government and the Anti-Terror Bill.

With how vaguely the ATB could be interpreted, the writing was on the wall: these duplicate accounts could post something incriminating under your name, like pretending to threaten people for example. If they do that, you could easily be thrown in jail without question.

Later on however, we’d realize that it was not just students and alumni from my school who were being targeted. Most of the victims of this cyber identity thefit situation were those who were vocal about their opposition to the Anti-Terror Bill.

There were a lot of theories as to where the data came from.

It could have been from an algorithm that targets people who had used the hashtag “#JunkTerrorBill” in one of their posts. Another theory is how the trolls targeted users who had signed a Change.org petition against the ATB. One thing is for sure though: with how quickly the accounts were being created, Facebook was once again being used as a weapon by the troll farms.

So after that happened, Facebook said no malicious activity happened, and the National Bureau of Investigation claimed it was a glitch. Pretty sure no one who was victimized believed that.

What kind of Black Mirror episode did I just live through?

How Facebook Killed our Democracy

After that whole thing, I decided to watch The Great Hack on Netflix. It’s a great look into how a data analytics company, Cambridge Analytica, had used our Facebook data to skew elections in different countries with the aid of targeted ads. While that might seem like fair game, they planted fake news and intentionally created dissent in these countries to make their client win. Of course for some reason, they decided to side with candidates who were bigots for these elections.

Here’s the kicker. They were a British consulting firm, but had the balls to test out their strategies on developing countries like the Philippines. Then, once they proved their success in these areas, they then decided to take on the 2016 U.S. presidential election and Brexit next.

Like… are they for real? Why do these people think that they can just swoop in and totally change how other countries operate?

We are not your guinea pigs! If you’re going to pull down your zipper and piss all over the plants, do it in your own backyard!

But besides that, the fact that Facebook is doing virtually nothing to regulate political ads, fake news, and troll accounts shows where their allegiance truly lies: their bank account. Having these things unregulated in a social media-heavy country like ours is tantamount to a dead democracy.

If you don’t have facts, you can’t have truth. If you don’t have truth, you don’t have trust. If you don’t have these two things, you don’t have democracy.

Maria Ressa in a 2019 interview with CIGI

So if you’ve been on the political side of the internet for some time now, you’d know how our current government has used Facebook to create chaos. Paid troll armies are the most notorious example, coming to the defense of the president when he is being criticized. As they grow in number, the divide between Duterte’s supporters and detractors just keep getting bigger and bigger by the day.

Which is exactly what they want. And something that Facebook has done nothing about.

July 2020 Facebook Ad Boycott

Since Americans have caught up to Facebook’s role in democracy and elections, lawmakers have been rightfully grilling Zuckerberg for lack of regulation when it comes to fake news. And now that the 2020 U.S. presidential elections are coming up, the anger of the people has been piling up, as Facebook could very well be weaponized to favor a presidential candidate again.

Additionally, the platform has been used to post hateful content against vulnerable communities, primarily those that include BIPOC. They have refused to take down hate-filled comments in relation to recent killings against POC. One such comment was made by President Donald Trump himself, where he encouraged protesters to be shot. Throughout this debacle, Mark Zuckerburg remained silent about the issue, despite a huge backlash from numerous people and groups.

And believe me, this just fueled the fire even more.

As a response to their inaction when it comes to racially-charged comments, a prominent number of big and small advertisers have vowed not to run any Facebook ads in the month of July. Activist groups have been working non-stop for more advertisers to join their call to #StopHateforProfit. Yes, there have been many ad boycotts in the past, but this seems to be the biggest one yet.

Why This Boycott Means Something

Even being a Filipino, you’d be able to recognize names of brands who have agreed to take part in this movement: The North Face, Upwork, Ben & Jerry’s, Rakuten Viber, and probably the biggest fish yet, Verizon Wireless.

To provide context, Facebook was able to to earn a whopping $69.7 billion dollars in 2019, with 46.1% of their 2018 revenue coming from U.S. and Canada alone. From those numbers, you’re probably thinking that this boycott will not do anything in the long run, especially when these brands are planning to resume their ads after July anyway. Great, that’s what other marketers are thinking too.

However, let’s look at the bigger picture.

By participating in the boycott, all these companies are using the reach and influence that they have to spread awareness about Facebook’s problem in addressing racist and discriminatory comments. More than that, these advertisers could very much influence how their customers think and feel. Just by explaining why they refuse to run ads for July, they are already educating people on how dangerous the tech giant could truly be.

As this continues to gain steam, the activist groups and brands who joined the boycott have already made a statement. And now that more advertisers are taking part, this story has continued to gain momentum throughout media and news outlets. The best part is almost all of their content gives context on why this boycott is happening in the first place: Facebook’s inaction towards racially-charged comments. While this won’t put a dent in Facebook’s revenue numbers, this movement has been chipping away at their credibility and reputation.

Plus, the public pressure is probably weighing heavily on Mr. Robot right now. If he’ll finally cave in, we will have to wait and see.

Why We Need a Facebook Ad Boycott in the Philippines

What that in mind, imagine if all the big and small local advertisers could come together to create a Facebook ad boycott in the Philippines. We even have our own, extremely valid concern to rationalize this: the weaponization of Facebook against free speech.

Imagine if the likes of P&G, Unilever, and Jollibee Foods Corporation would actually take a stand against disinformation, troll armies, clone accounts, and other shenanigans, by not running any Facebook ads for a certain time.

Having an ad boycott would be a big step in taking back our virtually-dead democracy that we worked so hard to earn. It’s probably true that the advertising revenue from the Philippines is barely a blip in Facebook’s radar, but a movement like this has a ton of potential to create awareness and educate the masses. Media outlets from all over the world and the country would pick it up and help impart our message about responsible regulation of online platforms.

Then, we could inspire the people and truly make a change. Now that’s what I call a power move.

Unfortunately, this all seems like an unreachable and unrealistic dream.

If someone does start a Facebook ad boycott in the Philippines, we’d probably just have other companies taking advantage of the lighter competition on the platform. I also presume that the gesture wouldn’t be appreciated as much as in the U.S., as most of the population haven’t realized the impact of Facebook has had in our democracy yet. Even so, realistically speaking, the big advertisers here don’t have the guts to take part in something as small as a Facebook ad boycott. I’d literally have to see it to believe it.

But hey, we can always stay hopeful that advertisers will be able to realize that they play a much bigger role in society than they’d like to think. Someday, I know that citizens and advertisers alike can put our differences, fear, and greed aside to slay the Facebook dragon once and for all.

Want to hear more hot takes from zoomers like this one? Take a look at our opinion articles here.

Featured Image: Thought Catalog

The post Facebook Killed PH’s Democracy (But Advertisers Can Help Take it Back) appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Apparently, there are some things that are more important than a deadly virus with no cure. It’s just corona after all. To say that the average Filipino has been completely disappointed with how coronavirus in the Philippines has been addressed is an understatement. It’s become the “new normal” to wake up every morning to bad news. And BTW, we are far, far away from flattening the curve.

1. Anti-Terror Bill

Let’s get right into this controversial item. For some reason, a bill that threatens the very foundation of our democracy was certified urgent by the President himself… during a pandemic? Despite numerous reassurances that it won’t be weaponized to silence critics and dissenters, we don’t have to look back too far from history to see where this is going. When countless lawyers themselves have stated why this is problematic, then you know something’s wrong.

2. Shutting Down ABS-CBN

In a country where not a lot of people have access to the internet, free TV reigns supreme. Which is why it is particularly concerning when one of the only two major television networks in the country was shut down under shaky grounds. ABS-CBN has been accused of siding against the government, which is why we can’t help but raise an eyebrow with this decision. The hearings to get the network back on-air are still ongoing, but honestly, it’s pretty stressful to watch.

UPDATE (06/30/2020): Today, the National Telecommunications Commission has also issued a cease and desist order against Sky Direct and their TV Plus Channels. Press freedom whomst’ve?

3. Convicting Maria Ressa

Another press freedom issue in the Philippines is the arrest of reporter Reynaldo Santos Jr., and Maria Ressa, CEO of online media platform Rappler. In a high-profile case that was filed on the basis of a technicality (a typo!), the message was sent loud and clear. If you dare criticize the leaders, everything will be done to put you in jail.

4. Arresting Normal Citizens

In a bizarre turn of events, Ronnel Mas, a teacher from Zambales, was arrested for threatening President Rodrigo Duterte in an online post. Mas jokingly offered ₱50 million to the person who would kill the President. Later, he was arrested on charges for inciting sedition. In Cebu, members of progressive and youth groups were arrested for protesting against the Anti-Terror Bill. The internet blew up with fury, demanding justice for these arrests using the #ReleaseCebu7 hashtag. Six jeepney drivers were also arrested for staging a peaceful protest in Caloocan for simply asking the jeepneys to continue operation. All of these things happened while NCR Police Office Chief Major General Debold Sinas came off unscathed for holding a birthday bash with other policemen and definitely not observing quarantine protocols.

UPDATE (06/30/2020): We can now add #FreePride20 to the list. LGBTQ Filipinos staged a protest for Pride while observing social distancing, but got arrested for literally no valid reason.

5. Removing Jeepneys

Okay some may call this a reach, but for some reason, the government has always had it out for our jeepneys, or jeeps. This prominent mode of public transportation for Filipinos has been noticeably missing in the vehicles allowed to run during general community quarantine (GCQ). Despite there being ways to avoid virus transmission in jeepneys, they are still not here. Here is a great article that tells us about the issue of jeep/jeepney phaseout that threatens the jobs of many drivers.

6. Improving Infrastructure

Despite national debt being at an all-time high, we continue to take loans from other countries. And with a lack of transparency on where all this money is going, we are hesitant to believe that it’s meant to address the pandemic. Just days ago, we signed new loans from Japan to build roads and bridges. Even if they are an investment for the future, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth knowing how deep we are in debt with little to no solutions that address the pandemic.

7. Collecting Tax from Everybody and their Mothers, except POGOs

POGO is short for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator, which refers to an online gambling company catered to foreigners, but operates in the country. While Filipinos only make up very little of their workforce, they owe ₱50 billion in unpaid taxes. Yet, the government does not want to go after them, and instead, wants to impose a “Netflix tax” law instead.

And netizens had quite the scare a week ago when the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) released a memorandum that everyone who sells online had to have their business registered for tax purposes. To give them credit, they have made the registration process easier and clarified that you don’t have to pay tax if you’re not earning ₱250K a year. Maybe don’t encourage people to go out in this pandemic to have their online businesses registered first, though?

And again, where are all the country’s loans going to?!

8. Creating Fake Facebook Accounts to Plant Evidence

It’s no secret that there are troll farms or troll armies in the Philippines. They are literally paid to praise the government and fight dissenters online. So imagine everyone’s shock when a lot of Anti-Terror Bill critics woke up to new Facebook accounts being made under their name. With how vague the bill is, these trolls can post a threatening message under your name to get you arrested! Yes, the victims of this cyber attack were mostly people who spoke up against the bill online.

With how quickly these accounts spread, there’s no question that this had funding behind it. Facebook, you have a lot of explaining to do.

So if you’re wondering why we still can’t beat the curve despite having one of the strictest and longest lockdown periods in the world (without mass testing), here’s your answer. Maybe coronavirus was the perfect excuse to do things they wouldn’t have gotten away with before. And if I wanted to stay in power so badly, why would I want to beat COVID-19?

Featured Image: Marfil Graganza Aquino on Pexels

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