Only facts: Influencers fight disinformation in The Philippines

Fake eyelashes and sparkles have become a secret weapon in the fight against disinformation in the Philippines.

IMS media partner Probe Productions has trained a star-studded line up of popular YouTube and TikTok influencers, including drag queens, to counter disinformation. The training covered research, factchecking and digital verification techniques to scrutinise the authenticity of social media posts, pictures and videos.

The professional development has helped the group transition from mere entertainers to truth ambassadors and affirmed their platforms as powerful tools for public education and audience trust.

In the Philippines, fake news is not just random nonsense but coordinated and politically motivated content, especially during election cycles. Studies show that young people and senior citizens are the most susceptible to disinformation.

Probe Productions collaborated with popular Philippine drag queens Brigiding and Your Tita Baby to make the truth sexy.

In one video debunk, Your Tita Baby takes a deep dive into a fake news story that the Philippines Central Bank is secretly holding a stash of gold bars belonging to the Marcos family – a political dynasty connected to current president Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

An angry mob of mostly elderly protesters marched to the bank in May 2024, demanding it release the so-called Tallano gold to the people. The myth began circulating on Facebook as early as 2011, according to prominent Philippines media outlet Rappler.

Aside from the two drag queens, the group of influencers who received training includes Macoy Dubs, Mighty Magulang, Dr Carlo Trinidad, Chef Gelo Guison and Mathilda Airlines. They have travelled to schools in far flung communities to teach students about media literacy and develop their critical thinking skills, so they don’t blindly share misleading content.

While the proliferation of fake news and disinformation in the Philippines has resulted in many simply avoiding the news, Your Tita Baby is taking seriously the responsibility to inform citizens in a fun but credible way.

“Drag is more popularly and traditionally viewed as a medium for entertainment. Partnering with an organisation (like Probe) that is credible, reliable and one who practices high standards of ethos, it does not only enrich me as a netizen but also establishes a higher purpose for my drag and platform,” Your Tita Baby said. “I used to do content just for fun. I was my own audience. But now, there are followers and fans involved, and when followers express how much they look up to me, especially those who see me as their representation, content creation has become a platform and a responsibility. It is still a lot of fun though, but with purpose.”