The 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report released on June 17 found that Filipinos are more likely than people in other countries to blame politicians for the spread of false information online.
According to the survey, 55 per cent of Filipino respondents identified politicians as major sources of disinformation, ahead of online influencers (48 per cent), activists (38 per cent), journalists (37 per cent), foreign governments (34 per cent), and others.
a 2022 study by researchers at the Philippine Media Monitoring Laboratory also found years-long disinformation attempts on social media to whitewash abuses during the nine brutal years of martial law under Mr Marcos’ father, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr.