>> stem 14; group 4

an open portal for media literate ; the following blogs may contain perspectives solely from the writers ; in compliance for e-blog portfolio

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&&. The Good and the Bad: How Social Media Affected Me as a Gen Z Individual

Have you seen a tossed coin that bears both sides with heads or tails? Or have you seen the sky in either daylight or nightglow for the entire hour? Nothing in these ideas truly exists because a tossed coin should consist of a head and a tail from side to side, and the sky must embrace between the sunrays of morning and moonbeams of night. So much like social media, it is a medicine for the youth and at the same time could be a poison to them. Thus, it possesses both positive and negative impacts on the lives of Gen Z individuals. As a Zoomer (as what they call for those who belong to Generation Z), social media acts as an open portal for wide communication and to keep in touch with friends, mentors, and coworkers we might not see. This technology engages us to be interactive, light-free, and empathetic towards other users.  Getting regular updates online with photos and videos via Facebook provides a convenience that texting, and phone calls cannot provide. Online chats are also low-pressure, with tools like Instagram Stories providing brief bursts of information without requiring a significant time commitment. Because social media is wealthy in information, it turns us into curious, adaptive, and innovative individuals in modern society. However, the life of having social media is not all bout rainbows and unicorns; most of the time, it could be a hurricane that might destroy our lives into shreds.

 In recent studies, social media is a significant factor that causes stress, anxiety, and depression among teenagers. As an overwhelmed Zoomer, social media can be a source of addiction such as chatting, computer games, binge-watching, or even cybersex and pornography. These could be a bad impact on our health since media-compulsion can distract us in many ways. It could disrupt our sleep hours, expose us to bullying, rumor spreading, false views of other people's lives, and peer pressure. At some point, social media will affect the way we see our self-worth. It turns us to be extra-conscious in our self. By this, we became careful on portraying and displaying our virtual self just to protect our image and reputation. And as a result, we have lost our authenticity as a youth and lost our genuine selves. As Gen Z, we are influenced by the 21st century and connected via digital gadgets and social media. But we need to use these platforms in moderation for personal development and self-improvement. There is a hidden power that social networks could give us, and that is the quest we need to jump over. After all, social media may affect us both to a negative and positive degree but let us try to convert it into a ray of total sunshine rather than a complete storm of self-destruction.

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&&. Digital Divide in the New Normal

Behold as Digital Divide arises, the expanding gap between the legions of technology HAVEs and HAVE-NOTs around the world that gotten great attention during the trying times of Corona Virus diseases. This is the fine line between individuals who have access to a computer and those who do not, a horizon breaking the bond of technology literate and illiterate. It exists between city dwellers and rural-country folks; between educated and ignorant, elite and commoners; and between countries that are more and less industrially developed. The Digital Divide can be visible in the form of low-performance PCs, poor wireless connections, and low-cost internet connections like dial-up, as well as limited access to subscription-based content, even among people who have some access to technology. The spectrum of the Digital Divide is seen to the disparities of advanced communication experienced by people. Therefore, factors like low literacy and income levels, geographical restrictions, lack of motivation to adopt change, lack of physical access to technology, and digital illiteracy contribute to the digital divide.

In the middle of New Normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused the worst disruption of school systems in history, the digital gap raises its ugly head. The competition of Digital Divide is battling between students who have computers and high-speed internet access versus those who scream with nothing. Most students are denied the opportunity to acquire high-quality education because they lack computers, internet access, and virtual learning and workspace technologies. Existing gaps between individuals from wealthy and unprivileged socioeconomic classes are being exacerbate, which amounts to a denial of basic human rights to people living in poverty and poses a serious threat to learning continuity. International organizations involved in internet governance attempt to close the digital divide around the world. Governments have now taken actions to escalate the status of marginalized communities from the thorns of technological ignorance. After all, the internet is now a necessity where everyone should have the capacity to cope with this change. In times of this pandemic, the regime should promptly provide technological needs for poor citizens so that the division of the digital gap would not worsen. It should serve as a wake-up call for many institutions to step up their efforts and adopt proactive measures to close the digital divide. This pandemic has brought our educational sector to the forefront, but it should not cause us to regress in our efforts to create a technologically inclusive and sustainable society. Together, let us end the gap of the Digital Divide and uplift those in misery to foster understanding and unity.

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&&. Delivering News in the Present Age

During the ancient civilizations of the Chinese and Roman empires, the Kings often wrote their orders using ink quail feathers on yellow-tinted scrolls. The discovery of post systems had never taken place. Doves and pigeons often flew for miles sending letters to the locals and other kingdoms. Through the years, humanity then invented devices that have improved the means of communication. Messages were never in flying bio mechanisms, but they started utilizing print media, transistors, and radio waves for transmission. Telegraphs and telephones were in trend as well as tabloids and newspapers. However, satisfaction among humans was never-ending as it strives for something advance and convenient. Thus, the regime of technology radiates its prowess in society today to provide for our needs. And by then, the Present era stood with new existing means of communication.  The dimensions of interaction seem infinite, and the news information appears to be widespread in every corner of the world.

           The prominent role of the internet anchored the dissemination of news in the present era. Almost all the populations across the globe have access to the World Wide Web and are active users on these platforms. The publications found this as an opportunity to reach people in contact and deliver them real-time news. For instance, citizens utilize social media platforms to create and receive news information. Facebook, as an example, allows its users to increase their awareness of the events happening around them. It becomes convenient in the access of everyone and can update them even in a short period. News today is delivered as well through broadcast media. Television and radio play as well significant role in providing credible and accurate information in times of urgency. However, some TV channels started to converge their distinct function on the online platforms available on the internet. Pointing out, CNN news can now be at hand on YouTube, Twitter, and web pages. This implies the increased availability of new and enhanced access to data information. But because news nowadays is created with easiness, it is also often altered and fabricated with ease. The disadvantage of delivering news in the present era is it lacks credibility and verification of whether it possesses truth value and integrity. Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of illiterate in society that worsens the effect of information ignorance. This results in a higher number of misled people towards their judgment and response to societal issues. Indeed that news in the contemporary era is delivered with proficiency; however, we still need to evaluate them according to the right judgment and basis. Let us be grateful for the access we have today, but use that access to enhance our skill on news literacy for the betterment of society.

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&&. Understanding the Relevance of Information and News Literacy in the Midst of Social Era 

It was an ordinary afternoon; nothing seems suspectable of San Bernardo Street. The daylight had come to its end, hiding behind the golden dusk and painted-like coffee strokes of skies. As frequent as it was, children were still running on their sweats, cooling down after wasting their energy for a late slipper game. Suddenly, the voices of middle-aged women resonate in the nearby town hall, probably at Aling Marites' Sari-sari Store. Passing by, it was no mistake by telling them they were both in nerve and was frighten for whatever the reason was. Again, it was a typical afternoon chismisan among the aunties. Aling Marites, the Chismosa ng Bayan, raised her voice on top of her lungs, "Don't you still know, mga mars? They are trying to trick us! They were putting metals on those vaccines! I swear!" Not a split of a second, all of them were insanely terrified, globules of sweat forming on their forehead, and their toes were shaking intensely. But a young lady abrupted the conversation with a calm yet confident tone, "I don't think it's even true. No news had verified this rumor though." However, there were no changes in the atmosphere; there were still unmoved like a century-passed stone. With a single drop of false information, a storm of fear had submerged. Misinformation damages not just the truth, but it includes our being, feelings, and the way we respond to something unknown. The Social era, a modern time of illiterate and media dishonesty. In this new gate of modernism, how far can illiteracy cost human lives? Where does our ignorance lead to somewhere? A dark path we stumbled; the light of news literacy was found nowhere. People of San Bernardo, what things can you do in these horrifying times of the social era?

           Communication in the contemporary age is accessible across the globe. Consequently, information and data reports are often altered for personal gain and intentions. In our recent blog, news nowadays turns into a textile where a dressmaker can effortlessly fabricate anything to make it appealing or horrifying to the public. In the worse scenario, this malicious information can generate fear among individuals. Unverified data are more likely the sources of rumors and folktales circulating on media platforms today. New media could have been our weapon to create better judgment; however, the Social Era has corrupted its essence by utilizing it as a tool for taking advantage and fostering negativity in humanity. However, ignorance shall never be in a high tolerance. We begin to cure our foolishness by educating ourselves about the relevance of media and news literacy in this era. We need to learn how to discern facts versus opinion. Journalists such as writers and reporters are often biased on their scoops and stories. Therefore, we should encourage ourselves to learn the standards of journalism and the processes of producing credible news. In addition, this follows the process of searching and verifying for a reliable source. In the Social Era, we do not know people who are trustworthy or what things can be trusted. Therefore, we should critically evaluate the credibility of a media to produce news. Furthermore, internet users in the Social Era can even start their digital web-page for sharing news and information; but only a fewer amount of these users can display proof and flesh in their claim.  As an audience, it is also essential to enhance our interpretation and analysis of data. There is a need for us to assess, evaluate, and recognize the context of news to formulate our insights and stand. Moreover, we are entitled to our opinion towards an issue; however, insights are not equal to fact. We hold a right to create a claim, but it is not our power to deceive someone with that judgment. And most importantly, everyone should participate as a citizen of democracy that forsakes misleading information and rebukes anything that can cause conflict to one another. The Social Era might be a wild jungle for communication and media today, but literacy will serve as map to guide us into enlightenment. The relevance of literacy is never meant to fade and it is always beside us. Hence, n this world full lies, do not be such an Aling Marites, but be like Maria. Be inquisitive, be brave, fear not, stay bright and curious. For ignorance leads to nowhere, but knowledge will always take us away from San Bernardo Street and to everything beyond the limit.

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&&. Media and Government: A Love-Hate Relationship (The Modern Puppet Show of Filipino People)

For a twenty-peso worth, a ticket for our favorite puppet show might be affordable in our wallet. Wide-opened eyes, sitting comfortably on the theater's sofa, with lips sipping cold soda beers, pleasing our senses with the festive motions of puppets dancing right in front of us. Entertaining, is not it? But for every spotlight, a shadow always lurks behind our sight.  Strings are visible and so do the motion, but one doubt remains silent behind the curtain: Who controls the puppet? No one knows, or worse, will never know. But someone has witnessed something about the spectacle as he has seen the hidden characters we never saw – the media and the government. And through his discovery, the doubt transcendents into a light. The light appears in the public's minds, then soon starts to speak for what is real and right. At last, the truth unravels the hidden: media are puppets under the strings of the puppeteer we knew but have never seen, for it is the fear and skepticism that blinds our eyes. When will we escape from this blindness? Where should we run to find the light? And how can we seek for something we lose against the forces of the puppeteers? Questions remain to wander, but one thing is for sure, literacy and democracy are the only power we could have away from the strings of manipulation and deceptive shows of the government.

           We may find ourselves at home, diving to the deepest screens of televisions, cellphones, and other dimensions of mass media. Whatever we take a glimpse of; we automatically believe and stand for it. However, today's media have been starting to serve half-baked information to censor ideas the people should not be allowed to know. These days, truth is limited and out of our reach. Instead, the media are forcing us to reshape our judgment using the resources they have been delivering to the public. However, the motion of mass media is something to deal with the control of someone's influence and authority. The government held restrictions on speech forms and manipulated the data as they believe it was "the way of protecting the nation’s common good." It is an open secret that government officials are filtering and taking control of the scopes of mass media. In other words, they decide what information must be on the news, what data should be present in the newspaper, what angles should project on screens, and what versions of reality the public should necessarily know. To shorten, the government has been feeding us fabricated information that turns us into ignorant and blinded audiences of their directed show. This manipulation will never bring safety to society; however, it will only affect the connection and trust of compatriot and their government.  Citizens have the right to be involved in the actual situation of their environment. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference, and everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression." Here extends that the public should receive any information they needed to produce an informed judgment. Because in the most sense, media is not a tool for making people feel safe and give false peace on dangers, but it is a channel for us to be aware, prepare, and equip on societal issues we are facing today. The government should realize that manipulating the media is not an ideal solution for anything. They need to end their malicious influence affecting public opinion and limiting the factual information in media. And for us journalists and fellow countrymen, we hold the power of terminating the oppression of public speech and media integrity. Philippine democracy is in our soul. We need to take courage in voicing out and face any hurdles that stumbles the truth. As of today, we should start assessing what lies we are viewing. Let us not be entertained merely on the reflections, but we also need to unravel the hidden shadows behind the curtain. Be a wise audience, be a literate individual in society. Together, we depart away from the puppet shows and walk towards the path of media literacy.

&& Written by: Maglunsod, Balan, Bajas, Balino, and Orcullo

&& Artwork by: Maglunsod Ruben Jr. P. (in reference of Adam Zyglis)

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&&. The Value of Being a Media and Information Literate Individual

The world has been continuously evolving through the run of centuries and remarkable epochs where the environment and its people keep on adopting the running changes of advancement and the modern era. For this reason, the knowledge and experiences shared within the society should be upgraded as well for us to survive and completely embrace the uncontrollable changes. One of the changing elements of human survival is the transformation of means in communication. In contemporary times, newspapers and other printed media are not the only tools to channel communication. This time it includes radio, television, social media, and the World Wide Web.  Unarguably, more than half of the world's population are exposed to these new media; however, only fewer numbers can distinguish the validity, accuracy, and integrity of media they were exposed to. This implies that communication in the modern world is run with hidden reality and by underlying negative intentions. To this effect, it corrupts the integrity of human connection; and it comprises the truth and ethical value of communication between people and their communities. Therefore, to have an in-depth understanding, knowledge should be widespread through implementing the value of media, information, and technology literacy among modern societies.  

          The value of media and information literacy should not be ignored for it is our guidelines on how to cope with the changes in communication in the era of modernism. Literacy helps individuals to be careful in grasping ideas and to think critically on formulating judgment and conclusions. It helps us to see the two sides of reality and to righteously take sides in every issue, news, the opinion in the media platforms. Being literate improves our skills of evaluating the accuracy of the information and it teaches us to recognize opposing viewpoints and possible counterarguments in communication. It gives us access to the bigger picture for us to create improved judgment towards the issue. If we tend to be literate in media and information, it will give us the skill of inquisitiveness that makes us keener on picking only things that are credible. Furthermore, Media and Information Literacy provide well-disciplined emotional behavior in our character as either a sender or the receiver. A literate individual has gentleness on publishing certain information, and it has only the intention to provide beneficial and harmless output in society. It also affects our way of receiving information: the way we perceive, respond and act within a communication. Literacy prepares our individuality to be open in all possible aspects and it nourishes our ability to understand every circumstance. The fact is, when our world is kept on evolving, the truth also becomes hard to find within a communication. We might not directly see the true mirror of reality; but, if we could teach ourselves to become media and information literate, then there is no way we can blind ourselves from deceptive projections of light. By this, to transform our individuality into a literate one is to escalate our society into a truthful place for everyone.

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