Two weeks ago, I sent a newsletter about how former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest activated familiar disinformation tactics online. We were just starting to monitor the online discussions then, but were already reminded of the environment during the Duterte era.

The Duterte era was a time when disinformation and propaganda online were so rampant that they distorted the line between truth and manufactured reality. It was also a time when critics and journalists were attacked relentlessly.

Although the repercussions of Duterte’s disinformation machinery never really left when he stepped down in 2022, the intensity did fade. (On a personal note, it had been years since I last received an email calling me “stupid” for reporting on disinformation — until my last newsletter). 

Post-Duterte arrest, the past two weeks took us back to that era, as if we’re reliving it all over again. But some things did change. Here are three things that we found to be different this time around: 

1. Micro influencers now lead the ecosystem.

During the past Duterte administration, big-name personalities like Mocha Uson, RJ Nieto (Thinking Pinoy), and Sass Sasot (For the Motherland) dominated the online space. Although they still exist, their influence is not as big as before.

When we mapped out the networks that were spreading propaganda and disinformation during the first two days of Duterte’s arrest, what we instead found were small, sometimes anonymous actors. These actors consisted of small-scale vloggers, typically with less than 100,000 followers. Some of them hide behind entertainment-related names, such as “Eat Bulaga.”

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2. Pro-Duterte vloggers are crying, apologizing.

The third installment of the congressional hearing on “fake news” on March 21 signaled a turning of the tide, with pro-Duterte vloggers such as Krizette Chu and Mary Jane “MJ” Quiambao Reyes being compelled to apologize for posting false information on social media. This is in stark contrast to their influence when Duterte was in power, when they thrived in spreading disinformation to support the former president.

During Duterte’s term, these actors positioned themselves as “experts” and legitimate alternatives to the “mainstream media” — and went on to post false and hateful content, particularly targeting journalists. They pushed narratives that would undermine the credibility of the press and even incited harassment against independent journalists.

While some may view the hearing as some form of vindication, watchdogs caution that it could be used as a pretext for tightening media regulations. Rappler reporter Dwight de Leon wrote about these nuances in this in-depth report.

3. It’s now a battle of videos, not just posts.

Gone are the days when disinformation was primarily spread through text-based posts or image-based memes. The landscape is now dominated by more visual content — particularly videos, which are more engaging and harder to fact-check.

At The Nerve, we analyze video content by not only looking at the video titles, but also by turning the actual content from audio to text. My recent piece with forensics researcher Gaby Baizas analyzed the propaganda narratives that spread about Duterte’s arrest, and explored the potential earnings content creators could make from making YouTube videos with false information. We found that it can go as high as P20,000 per day.

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Now, if there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s the lack of accountability from social media platforms, which continue to allow false information to prosper. 

We have repeatedly pointed this out in our work, as we’ve found time and again how Big Tech enables the spread of disinformation with little to no consequences. This is an area where we have yet to see meaningful reforms.

If you’re interested in knowing more about The Nerve’s work and how we can work together, shoot us an email at hello@thenerve.co. – Rappler.com

Decoded is a Rappler series that explores the challenges and opportunities that come with living in transformative times. It is produced by The Nerve, a data forensics company that enables changemakers to navigate real-world trends and issues through narrative & network investigations. Taking the best of human and machine, we enable partners to unlock powerful insights that shape informed decisions. Composed of a team of data scientists, strategists, award-winning storytellers, and designers, the company is on a mission to deliver data with real-world impact.