October 1 - 15, 2017
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
durianrepublic
Of Blogs, Bloggers, and Fake News
by JJ Atencio
Since the creation of
the first “web log” in 1994
by Swathmore College stu-
dent Justin Hall, blogging
today has morphed from a
simple personal journal to
a potent force of influence
and information that is shap-
ing how we think about our
society. Blogging is giving
ordinary people the power to
voice opinions that can reach
an audience of thousands,
and in the process, influence
mass thinking in ways that
has never happened before.
I admit it, I’m a blogger.
I have this small corner of the
World Wide Web called “du-
rianpost.org” where I prac-
tice essay writing, reflection
and analysis that I studied in
college. I do have some fol-
lowing but nowhere in the
hundreds upon thousands
of followers that the leading
pro-administration bloggers
have. That alone for me is
such an impressive feat.
So when the Senate
inquiry on “fake news” hap-
pened a few days ago where
some bloggers and main-
stream media were invited,
I was more amused and en-
tertained more than anything
else. For one, the presence of
bloggers in the Senate has le-
gitimized the presence of all
blogs and bloggers and have
recognized them as a potent
force in swaying public opin-
ion.
I thought that if the in-
quiry were a boxing match
between the senators and
pro-administration bloggers,
I would score it a draw. The
senators were right in calling
for more accuracy, decency
and accountability, but ac-
countability within the greater
principle of respecting our
basic freedom of speech as
the bloggers emphasize.
One of the things that
should have been brought
out by the inquiry was that
blogging is a typically a com-
mentary. It is not news and it
is never meant to be. At best
it is an opinion, much like the
views we read in newspapers,
see on TV or hear on the ra-
dio, which as we know, can
sometimes be as slanted, dis