Vatican official outlines the anatomy and the Christian response to fake news

Christians are urged to follow St. Paul’s example of using the Gospel as the template for discerning the good and bad in culture.

This was one of the highlights of Bishop Paul Tighe’s talk at the truth and discipleship forum aired Saturday, July 2, on Facebook live and YouTube.

In his talk, the secretary of the Pontifical Council of Culture in the Vatican evoked the memory of St. Paul’s speech at Areopagus in Athens.

There he claimed that the “unknown” yet revered God by the Greeks is in fact the God in Holy Scripture, who made heaven and earth (Acts 17:22-24).

Similarly, Christians need to critically discern what digital and social media offer based on Christ and His teaching. The prelate said that love should be the driving force of online engagements and not simply the desire “to achieve.”

Fake news spread because netizens are often only receptive to information that reinforces their worldviews and beliefs.

This leads to society’s polarization, social media users canceling out individuals even groups with opposing views, and people getting “trapped in (just) one way of seeing things.”

The anatomy of fake news, the bishop said, includes the “selling of already confirmed worldviews,” “polarization of societies,” and “distraction of people’s attention from serious issues.”

The latter comes as a result of trivialization, escapism, as well as simplification of the impacts or consequences of important events.

Digital and social media offer a barrage of information that often “discourages people from being too serious,” the bishop said.

The volume of available information “overwhelms our capacity to judge and reflect” and directs us to merely “look (for) simplicity and directness.” This is often what makes us vulnerable to manipulation and deception.

Fake news also brings forth a “disruption of our good habits” not just because of the “speed and volume” by which information is conveyed but also because of its highly “emotive, overwhelming,” as well as crafty packaging.

Echoing the recommendation of FABC-OSC Chairman, Bishop Roberto Mallari’s recommendation at the forum’s opening, Bishop Tighe said, we need “guard rails” or state laws and regulations that enforce ethical social media use.

The Vatican official also called for self-regulation of individuals, companies as well as professionals present in the online sphere.

As a Church, “we have to encourage people to look at their own agency,” which in Pope Francis’ words means “good communication.” At the end of the day, Bishop Tighe said everyone has to strive to communicate effectively and ethically.

“Good communication is a human achievement,” the prelate added.

The Church needs to encourage everybody “to be present in social media” because both offline and online worlds are now “blended.”

People of faith then need to be responsible in the way they use their freedom in offline and online communications. The bishop said we need to be aware and help others to be aware, through media education, of the dynamics of social media so “that (people) can be more attentive to the choices they make.”

Being alert to the inner workings of social media, people can communicate with “intentionality” and make a positive difference in our present world.

Quoting Pope Francis in the 2020 Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, Bishop Tighe said we need to look into the truth of a sound byte or a bit of information based on its “impact on human flourishing” or in the way that “it makes life worthwhile.”

On the global stage, we need to reflect on views of truth from cultures and religions and discover commonalities that will make life worthwhile, the bishop said.

In the end, we need to realize that truth is a way of life. “It is a way of living when we live for other people and put their needs ahead of our needs.”

As Pope Francis said, we need to engage in a “dialogue of encounter,” where “the other does not only teach me, he is like me.”

In His ministry, Jesus has shown that “this kind of living heals society and in giving our life, we find our own life,” Bishop Tighe said.

Psalm 25:5 that states “Guide me in your truth and teach me” was the forum’s adopted theme.

Initiating the event was Veritas Asia Institute for Social Communication (VAISCOM), the training and formation arm of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences - Office of Social Communication (FABC-OSC).

The Philippines’ Catholic Media Network or CMN and Mary the Queen Parish (MTQP) of Novaliches Diocese were event co-organizers.

The forum was aired simultaneously on the respective Facebook pages of VAISCOM and MTQP, and on the YouTube channel of FABC-owned Radio Veritas Asia.