MEDIA and INFORMATION LITERACY 101

LEGAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIETAL ISSUES in MEDIA and INFORMATION

LITERACY

• Fair Use - the copying of a copyrighted material, with the purpose of using it for a review,
commentary, critic, or parody, without the need to ask permission from the copyright owner.

FAIR USE
1. Small portion of the original material used.
2. Commercial value of the material is not
diminished.
3. The new work or the material is critique, satire
or education.
4. New work is predominantly original product of
user.
5. Benefit to user is predominantly other than
commercial.

• Parody - to ridicule another material in a funny, inoffensive, and non-derogatory manner.

• Intellectual Property - the output of a person’s intellectual pursuit such as literary and artistic
works, inventions, logos, symbols and signs, as well as names and images used for commercial
purpose or advertisements.
Two Categories of Intellectual Property
✓ Industrial Property – includes patents for inventions, trademarks, industrial designs
and geographical indications.
✓ Copyright – covers literary works (such as novels, poems, and plays), films, music,
artistic works (e.g. drawings, paintings, photographs, and sculptures) architectural
designs.
Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances,
producers of phonograms in their recordings, and broadcasters in radio or television
programs.
• Copyright - gives the creator of a literary, artistic, musical, or other creative work the sole
right to publish and sell that work.
Owners have the right to control the reproduction of their work, including the right to receive
payment for that reproduction. An author may grant or sell those rights to others, including
publishers or recording companies.
✓ Copyright Infringement - violation of a copyright.
• Instances Which Exempt Copyright Permission Requests:
1. Taking a screenshot photo from a famous movie and turning it into a meme.
2. Citing a few lines from a song of a famous singer as an introduction to a book review.
3. Material is used for non-profit education purpose.
 4. The material has been transformed completely from the original.
5. The material was used for different purpose and audience.

• Plagiarism - an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of
another author without authorization; the representation of that author's work as one's own, as
by not crediting the original author.
• Difference Between Copyright Infringement and Plagiarism
1. Plagiarism is using someone else’s work without giving proper credit – a failure to cite
adequately.
2. Copyright infringement is using someone else’s creative work which can include song, a video,
a movie clip, a piece of visual art, a photography and other creative works, without
authorization or compensation, if compensation is appropriate.
3. Schools enforce plagiarism while courts enforce copyright infringement.

• Patent - an exclusive right granted to an invention.

Protects the owner from other people who deliberately or unintentionally copy his invention.
• Trademark - a specific sign associated with a particular brand of goods or services.
Use by companies to distinguish their products from other available and similar products in the
market.
✓ Trade Secret – a secret device or technique used by a company in manufacturing its
product.
NETIQUETTE
The use of good manners in online communication such as e-mail, forums, blogs, and social
networking sites.
1. NO YELLING, PLEASE - there’s a time and a place for everything—BUT IN MOST
SITUATIONS TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS INAPPROPRIATE.
2. SARCASM CAN (AND WILL) BACKFIRE - sarcasm has been the source of plenty of
misguided arguments online, as it can be incredibly difficult to understand the commenter’s
intent. What may seem like an obvious joke to you could come across as off-putting or rude
to those who don’t know you personally.
3. STOP ... GRAMMAR-TIME! - always try to use proper punctuation, spelling and grammar.
4. DON’T GET CUTE WITH TEXT COLORS - stick to the basic black text color—if you need
to emphasize something in your sentence use bold or italicized words. This will help ensure
everyone can easily read your message without acquiring a headache.
5. BREVITY RULES - keep email messages short and to the point.
6. READ FIRST - take some time to read through each of the previous discussion post
responses before writing your own response.
7. DON’T OVERSHARE - personal information is valuable to identity thieves, so try not to
share more than is necessary.
8. BE KIND - make a point to be respectful in your comments—even if you disagree or dislike
someone’s stance on a topic.
T. H. I. N. K. (Netiquette)
T – is it TRUE?
- is it fact or is it really an opinion or feeling?
- know and be clear before you speak.
H - is it HELPFUL?
- will it just aggravate the situation if you post a rant about it?
- “Makisawsaw” Mentality.
I – is it INSPRING?
- Will people be in awe after reading your post?
 N – is it NECESSARY?
- There are things that are better left unsaid.
- Some people are making their social media accounts as daily diaries.
K – is it KIND?
- What is your motivation in posting?

• Virtual Self - human characteristic or persona within an avatar most likely in computer games,
videos or any computer related activities.
Digital identity or assumed identity in the virtual world.
• HOW TO PROTECT DIGITAL SELF?
1. Look in the mirror - start your security assessment. Ask yourself what you want to protect
and from whom, and estimate the likelihood that the specific parties would compromise your
data.
2. Master your passwords - good password manager generates, stores, and updates all your
passwords with a button press. The actual passwords are encrypted and accessible solely by
you, but the system is only as good as your master password.
3. Ditch touch ID – it’s a neat way to quickly unlock your phone, but your fingerprint sensor is
also one of the easier ways for someone to access your device.
4. Avoid Cookies - cookies are small bits of code that are temporarily installed on your computer
when you visit a website.
Even after you close your browser, cookies continue to track information.
This is your new mantra: Flush the cache, delete the cookies, protect your privacy.
5. Browse Safely - to surf the web is to publicly share your browsing activity with online data
collectors.
6. Know Thy Settings - you won’t believe what Google knows about you. Seriously. Personal
information, search logs, browsing habits, locations—all of it stored and used for ad targeting,
unless you know how to navigate your privacy settings.
7. Go Virtual - virtual private networks can be useful for maintaining browser secrecy, but not all
can be trusted. Do your research and only choose a VPN service that doesn’t.

• Digital Footprint - one's unique set of digital activities, actions, and communications that leave
a data trace on the Internet or on a computer or other digital device and can identify the use or
device. One’s overall impact, impression, or effect as manifested on the Internet.
✓ 5 P’s for a POSITIVE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT
1. Profile – only use your first name, do not give out any personal information.
2. Privacy – keep your passwords and personal details private.
3. Protect – keep evidence and don’t bully back. Tell an adult.
4. Permission – make sure you have to view and share information online.
5. Positive – make sure information you share is positive.
• Digital Citizenship - The quality of habits, actions, and consumption patterns that impact the
ecology of digital content and communities.
Norms of appropriate, responsible behavior regarding technology use.
• ELEMENTS OF DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
1. Digital Access – full electronic participation in society.
2. Digital Commerce – electronic buying or selling of goods.
3. Digital Communication – electronic exchange of communication.
4. Digital Literacy – teaching and learning about technology and its use.
5. Digital Etiquette – electronic standards or conduct of procedure.
6. Digital Law – electronic responsibility for actions and deeds.
7. Digital Rights and Responsibilities – those freedoms extended to everyone in digital
world.
8. Digital Health and Wellness – physical and psychological well-being in a digital world.
9. Digital Security - electronic precautions to guarantee safety.
• CYBERBULLYING – bullying that takes place online, or using electronic technology such as
cellphones, computers, and tablets over communication tools including social media sites, text
messages, chats and websites.
Examples:
1. Text messages or emails composed to insult or demean.
2. Rumors or false statements spread by email or posted on social networking sites.
3. Humiliating photos, videos, and websites.
4. Fake profiles deliberately shared across social media.
• TYPES OF CYBERBULLYING

1. EXCLUSION – deliberately excluding someone from an online group.

2. GOSSIP – posting or sending cruel gossips to damage a person’s reputation and
relationships with friends, family, and acquaintances.
3. HARRASMENTS – repeatedly posting or sending offensive, rude, and insulting messages.
4. NATION – breaking into someone’s email or other online bank account and sending
messages that will cause embarrassment or damage to the person’s reputation and affect
his or her relationship with other.
5. OUTING and TRICKERY – tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing
information, which is then shared online.
6. CYBERSTALKING – posting or sending unwanted or intimidating messages which may
include threats.
7. CYBERTHREATS – remarks on the internet threatening or implying violent behavior,
displaying suicidal tendencies.
• LAWS in the PHILIPPINES on MEDIA and INFORMATION
✓ Intellectual Property Rights in the Philippines or REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8293
✓ Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 or REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10627
• CYBERCRIME PREVENTION ACT or REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10175
- Offenses against the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer data and systems.
✓ Illegal Access
✓ Illegal Interception
✓ Data Interference
✓ System Interference
✓ Misuse of Devices
✓ Cyber-squatting
- COMPUTER RELATED OFFENSES
✓ Computer-related Forgery
✓ Computer-related Fraud
✓ Computer-related Identity Theft
✓ Content-related Offenses
- CYBERSEX
✓ Child phonography
✓ Unsolicited Commercial Communications
✓ Libel
- Other Offenses
✓ Aiding or Abetting in the Commission of Cybercrime.

OPPORTUNITIES and CHALLENGES in NEW MEDIA and INFORMATION

• CITIZEN JOURNALISM – “a wide range of activities in which everyday people contribute

information or commentary about news events.” (Educause Learning Initiative, 2007)
- Corresponds with the growth in new communication and information technologies.
- New technologies served as media for internet based social interaction are known as “social
media”.
- Through social media websites, such as Facebook, Titter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and blogs,
citizens can report their own experiences and eye witnesses accounts.
• USE OF INTERNET AS TOURISM SUPPORT

• PHISHING – phishing email messages, websites and phone calls designed to steal money.
Cybercriminals can do this by installing malicious software on your computer or stealing personal
information off of your computer. Cybercriminals might email, call, or text you or convince you
to download something off of a website.
✓ How to Avoid Phishing?
1. Guard against spam.
2. Communicate personal information only via phone or secure websites.
3. Do not click on links, download files or open attachments in emails from unknown senders.
4. Never email personal or financial information, even if you are close with the recipient.

• HUMAN TRAFFICKING – the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one
country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor or sexual exploitation.

RISKS IN NEW MEDIA

• AGE-INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT - The internet provides a wealth of content for al l groups

of users. It must be carefully decided which content is appropriate to which age group.

Special attention should be given to content that is not illegal in general but might harm younger
users.
• ILLEGAL CONTENT - The type of content that classified as illegal depends foremost in national
laws, although some type of content is outlawed in most countries.
Attention should also be paid to young people as potential victims of illegal content, e.g. by
taking and publishing pictures or videos of child abuse.
• LACK OF VERIFICATION OF CONTENT - It is important that young people learn to read
content with a critical eye and not to take everything that is said at face value.
Satirical news, also called as fake news, is a type of parody presented in a format typical of
mainstream journalism and called a satire because of its content.
(e.g. sowhatsnews.com wordpress.com, adobochronicles.com, thephilippinetrend.com)
• INCITEMENT OF HARM - There are many sites on the web inciting users to harm themselves
(e.g. websites promoting suicide, anorexia or sectarianism).

• INFRINGEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS or DEFAMATION - In the anonymity of the web,

propaganda against certain groups or individuals can easily be widespread (e.g. cyberbullying).
People act differently online when they do not have to face their victims.
• INAPPROPRIATE ADVERTISEMENT and MARKETING - The more users give away
private information, the more likely they are to receive advertisements.
• PRIVACY - Once published on the web, content can spread rapidly around the world and
remain in existence indefinitely.
Young people are often unaware of the short and long-term consequences of publishing texts
and pictures that they may not want to make available publicly later.
• COPYRIGHT INFRINGMENT - Irrespective of whether a copyright has been infringed
deliberately or accidentally, the infringement is seen as fraud by the holder and puts the
violator at risk of penalty (e.g. sharing link of leaked movies online).
 CURRENT TRENDS and FUTURE TRENDS of MEDIA and INFORMATION
• SOCIAL MEDIA - has revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize in the web.
✓ Impacts of Social Media in Our Society
1. Impacts on Politics - Smart politicians use social media to promote their campaign.
This is because social media have played an important role in many elections around the
world including US, Iran, India, and Philippines.
2. Cyberbullying and Online Harassment - People can target you for cyber bullying and
harassment online as well. Anyone can fall prey to online attacks which can create tension
and distress.
3. Effects on Socialization - Social networks offer opportunity for people to reconnect
with their old friends, trade ideas, share content and pictures and do other activities.
• Massive Open Online Content (Massive Open Online Courses) - A form of distant
learning that provides free academic knowledge online.
It also provides more people access to university lectures and other tools to enhance e-learning
(e.g. Edmodo, XU Elearn, Google classroom).
• Wearable Technology - technology that can be worn by consumers that often include tracking
information or small motion sensors.
Examples:
1. Smart Watch - A wrist worn device that connects your mobile phone and act as your
minicomputer.

2. Fitness Tracker - This is worn on the wrist in order to count the number of steps you make
each day, the numbers of calories you burn, and your heart rate.

3. Sports Watch - It is used to help the athlete gain more information about the chosen sport
and provide advice on how to train and when to go to the next level.
 4. Head Mounted Display - This delivers information directly to your eyes and provides
computer generated virtual reality.

5. Smart Clothing - These are garments with electronics that makes them look more
interesting and fashionable.

6. Implantable - These are devices that are surgically attached somewhere under your skin
(e.g. insulin pump, contraception, pacemakers).

• 3D Environment - allows you to create objects in 3-dimensional space and usually has a
figurative appearance.
Examples:
1. Desktop Virtual Reality - The users see the 3D environment on screen.

2. Immersed Virtual Reality – users are immersed in a non-physical world.

• 3D Printer - additive manufacturing which process and creates three dimensional solid
objects from a digital file.

• 3D Films - movies that have been enhanced to provide the perception of depth; giving
illusion of a third dimension which is depth.
Examples:
1. Hologram - comes from the Greek word Holos, which means whole, and Gamma, which means
message.
3-dimesional images that have been created using photographic projection.

• Ubiquitous Learning - learning at any place, any time with the use of technology.
Main characteristics of ubiquitous learning:
1. Permanency 4. Interactivity
2. Accessibility 5. Situated Instructional Activities
3. Immediacy 4. Adaptability
ARTICLE: On the rise of citizen journalism Power to The People? By Melanie Y. Pinlac

MODERN TECHNOLOGY has brought about changes in the landscape of news media. Today, another
new journalistic form is challenging the norms of traditional journalism. This new form—citizen
journalism—is challenging the notion that only trained and professional journalists can come up with
reliable news reports.
Advocates of this new form want to escape from the mainstream media’s alleged monopoly over
information and to give this power to inform to ordinary citizens. Advocates say that citizen journalism
provides the public a source of news other than the mainstream media.
In MediaShift, a weblog that tracks the effects of new digital technologies on media, editor Mark Glaser
defines citizen journalists as “people without professional journalism training (using) the tools of
modern technology and the global distribution of the Internet to create, augment, or fact-check media
on their own or in collaboration with others.”
Citizen journalism initiators also think they could thrive without the principles that serve as the
foundation of traditional news media. One of these principles, objective reporting, is something citizen
journalists could live without, they say.
A break from tradition
In an interview published in Japan Media Review (http://www.japanmediareview.com), Oh Heon-Yo,
founder of the South Korean website OhmyNews, said citizens without journalistic practice (or citizen
journalists) should not be expected to write straight, objective articles. “We not only break the concept
of ‘who reporters are’, but also… the formula of ‘reporters are supposed to be like blah, blah, blah,’”
he said. “Articles, including both facts and opinions, are acceptable when they are good.”
Oh, a former reporter for the alternative magazine Mal, launched the pioneer citizen journalism site in
Asia, OhmyNews (http://www.ohmynews.com/) in 2000. This is in answer to the discontent that
citizens feel about conservative news media and their desire for a space where they could talk about
themselves. In his interview with Wired.com, Oh explained, “We wanted to say goodbye to 20th-
century journalism where people only saw things through the eyes of the mainstream, conservative
media.”
The site started with only four reporters. Today, it has 53 staff members and approximately 38,000
citizen reporters. These citizen reporters are paid according to the ranking of their stories—”basic,”
“bonus,” or “special.”
Other than giving ordinary Koreans the chance to be reporters, OhmyNews was said to have opened
new ground for political reform in the country. For example, it helped then candidate Roh Moo-Hyun
win in the 2002 presidential elections. According to reports, OhmyNews allegedly gave Roh the
attention conservative press denied him.Today, other Asians like the Japanese have attempted to build
their own citizen journalism-inspired websites.
Filipino initiatives
In the Philippines, the idea of transforming ordinary Filipinos into citizen journalists is slowly gaining
acceptance. Perhaps because of the low Internet penetration rate and the high web maintenance fee,
most citizen journalism sites in the Philippines are owned by bigger or mainstream media organizations.
This is different from other countries where citizen journalism thrives in stand-alone web sites like
OhmyNews.
Some examples are the Sun.Star’s “Citizen Watch” and GMANews.TV’s “YouScoop”. Sun.Star Network’s
“Citizen Watch: The Arroyo Presidency” invites ordinary readers to post analyses and stories on
develop-ments involving President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s admi-nistration. This is apart from their
regular Sun.Star website, where daily news reports are written by the newspaper’s pool of professional
reporters. “Citizen Watch” was launched after the success of the “Arroyo Watch” project in 2005. The
“Arroyo Watch” weblog was formed to track the updates regarding the “Hello, Garci” scandal. The
“YouScoop” of GMANews.TV, on the other hand, tries to involve citizens in online journalism by giving
them a free hand in uploading pictures and videos that they think are newsworthy.
Not just online another noticeable feature of Philippine citizen journalism is that it is not limited to the
online medium. Acknowledging the success of online citizen journalism in other Asian countries, big
media companies have realized the potential of citizen-driven news media. Besides fulfilling a social
responsibility—that is, empowering the people through news—they are also able to cover areas where
media companies do not have regular reporters.
Today, the Philippine traditional media—print and broadcast—have used citizen journalism in short
messaging and multimedia messaging systems.
In the 2007 elections, ABS-CBN launched a project which was supposedly patterned after the idea of
citizen journalism. “Boto Mo, i-Patrol Mo” gave ordinary voters the power to report unusual and
suspicious activities in their neighborhoods through their mobile phones. ABS-CBN then flashed the
reports on air.
In an interview with PJR Reports, Maria Ressa, ABS-CBN’s head of News and Public Affairs, said, “the
overarching idea for this “Boto Mo, i-Patrol Mo” was empowerment using technology and mass media
in order to ensure the credibility of the elections.” She added that through this initiative, voters were
also given the capability to hold officials accountable.
Beyond writing letters to the editor and contributing to reader-driven columns, some Philippine dailies
want their readers to venture into citizen journalism.The Philippine Daily Inquirer, for example, calls on
its readers to “share the good news where you are—and the bad.” In its Metro Citizen’s Call section,
the Inquirer features text and photos sent by concerned readers which range from personal appeals
and criticisms about local governance to alleged illegal activities in their neighborhoods.
Redefining journalism
Still, the idea of having a press dominated by those who do not have any idea of journalism is absurd
for some journalists. They believe that citizen journalism should follow the basic principles observed by
traditional news media.
According to Vergel Santos, chair of BusinessWorld’s editorial board, the idea that anybody can be a
journalist poses a danger to the profession. He also says such thinking cheapens the profession.
“Journalism calls, not only for the understanding of certain skills, but the acquisition of certain skills at
certain levels. So, being able to build a site and disseminate whatever information you wish to
disseminate to audiences does not constitute journalism,” Santos stressed.
He compares journalism to carpentry. Having the tools for carpentry does not make one a carpenter,
unless one has learned the proper skills needed in the craft, he said.
“I’m not saying that citizens cannot be journalists. If they train, they might be able to do it,” Santos
said. “But to be able to practice journalism without training, I don’t understand how they will do it.”
Danilo Arao, a University of the Philippines journalism professor, says giving readers the chance to
have their comments and stories see print or be uploaded “are good initiatives.” But, he adds, citizens
must be given the necessary skills and knowledge to become journalists.
For example, according to Arao, “Boto Mo, i-Patrol Mo” may have manifested the power of the citizen’s
text messages in helping the network in gathering data but it is not enough to call this citizen
journalism. Arao says what may qualify as citizen journalism in the Philippines is the concept called
peryodismong yapak or “barefoot journalism.” This is where “ordinary citizens are taught how to write
stories and produce community papers.” And some advocates of citizen journalism seem to agree with
Santos and Arao.
Back to tradition
Recently, there had been noticeable efforts by citizen journalism sites to enforce rules normally
associated with traditional journalism. Legal as well as ethical problems caused by unverified and
inaccurate reports that appeared in their sites could have caused this change among advocates of
citizen journalism. OhmyNews, for example, has been a victim of hoaxes such as a report on the
supposed assassination of Microsoft founder Bill Gates from a fake CNN site. Now, OhmyNews enforces
strict registration rules for citizen journalists and has asked its reporters to disclose details concerning
their bank accounts to the editorial board.
Some websites have also required their contributors to abide by certain ethical rules. Sun.Star’s “Citizen
Watch” asks writers to take into consi-deration the CyberJournalist.net’s Bloggers’ Code of Ethics, a
modified form of the US Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. One provision states that
bloggers, like journalists, should be “honest and fair in gathering, reporting, and interpreting
information.”
Meanwhile, some online citizen journalism sites, especially in the United States, have realized the
importance of news values and other basic journalistic standards. They have already started offering
Journalism 101 classes to interested citizen journalists under their management. But a single class in
journalism cannot provide all the needed skills in becoming a journalist. One must have constant
practice and training. After all, there is no such thing as an overnight journalist.

GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR ACTIVITY:

Answer the following guide questions and discuss your answers as a group:
• What is Citizen Journalism? What are the advantages of Citizen Journalism? Cite some
examples.
• How does the Internet change the way news is reported? Do media companies limit their
stories to their journalists only? Why/why not?
• What are the issues of Citizen Journalism? What mechanisms do they have to prove the
accuracy of their stories?
ARTICLE: Tourism in Southern Cebu gets digital boost from Talk ‘N Text, Internet.org
by MyCebu Partners | Aug 12, 2015 | Brand Partnership, Tech

FOUR eco-tourism groups in Aloguinsan, Cebu are now ready to move to the digital space after
attending the Panalo Community Training sponsored by Talk ‘N Text (TNT), the value brand of Smart
Communications, Inc. (Smart), and organized by Grassroots Travel, a local company working with
communities to help promote responsible and sustainable travel. During the four-day training, the
participants were able to create a demo website for their community groups. They also learned about
travel trends, branding and packaging, blogging, photography, videography, social media marketing
and analytics, online and digital marketing tools, and responsible use of the Internet.

“We are happy to support Aloguinsan people’s organizations (POs) because we see their commitment
to promote their town through eco-tourism. The goal of the Panalo Community trainings is to help
them provide better tourism experience by going digital,” said Smart Public Affairs-VisMin Senior
Manager Atty. Maria Jane C. Paredes.

Eco-tourism associations
Aloguinsan Mayor Cynthia Moreno, during the closing remarks, also thanked the communities for taking
the lead in promoting Aloguinsan. “Kamo, ang mga local community dinhi sa Aloguinsan, ang nagdala
sa pangalan sa atong lungsod nga mailhan sa tibuok probinsya sa Sugbo, sa tibuok nasud ug sa
kalibutan. Diba, nindot kaayo palandungon? (You (the local communities) made Aloguinsan known in
the province of Cebu, in the country, and in the world. That’s really wonderful.),” said Mayor Moreno.
The participants of the training are members of four associations managing four different eco-tourism
activities in Aloguinsan: Baetas or Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association (Bojo River cruise), Kea or
Kantabogon Ecotourism Association (The Hermit’s Cove), Chat or Cultural Heritage for Aloguinsan
Tourism (organic farm and culinary), and Arra or Aloguinsan Reef Rangers Association (snorkeling and
dolphin-watching).

Internet.org initiative
The Panalo Community trainings are part of TNT’s campaign to promote Internet.org to empower
communities by providing free access to 30 websites using mobile devices. A Facebook-led initiative,
Internet.org aims to make mobile Internet services available to two-thirds of the world who are not yet
connected. Currently, over 4.5 million Filipinos use Internet.org. Some of the sites that can be accessed
without data charges are Accuweather and Rain Check for weather updates; Ask.com, Bing Search,
WikiHow and Wikipedia for general information; BabyCenter and MAMA for pregnancy and childcare;
Interaksyon.com, Inquirer.net, PhilStar.com, GMA News Online, Rappler and Sun.Star for news
updates; ESPN and Spin.ph for sports updates; PEP.ph for entertainment news; Facts for Life for health
and hygiene; iMoney.ph and Your Money for personal finances, JobStreet.com for job search; Facebook
and Messenger; OLX for online shopping; Sakay.ph for bus and train directions; TESDA for free
programs and training; Wattpad for books and stories; and Dictionary.com.

First of 3 modules
TNT subscribers who are Android users may download the Internet.org app on Google Play Store while
non-Android users can access the site by typing www.internet.org on their mobile browser. For step-
by-step instructions, text INTERNET to 9999 or visit talkntext.com.ph/internetorg. The Panalo
Community training in Aloguinsan is the first of three modules designed by TNT and Grassroots Travel
to help POs maximize the use of online and digital technologies in promoting eco-tourism in their town.
The other two modules will cover resilient and sustainable tourism; and effective customer service as
well as online mobile payments, respectively. The same set of trainings will be held in three other towns
in Southern Cebu namely Boljoon, Samboan, and Santander. (Press Release)

GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR ACTIVITY:

Answer the following guide questions and discuss your answers as a group:
• How did the Internet help in promoting tourism in Aloguinsan, Cebu?
• How did it improve the lives of the local community?
• If you could apply the Aloguinsan digital experience to your community, what local tourist
spots, culture, or practices would you promote? Why?
ARTICLE: Inside job? Senior citizen loses P159,000 via unauthorized online transfer David
Dizon, ABS-CBNnews.com
MANILA - A senior citizen lost P159,000 in savings from a local bank via unauthorized online fund
transfer despite never using his account to transfer funds. In an interview, businessman Carlos D.
Malibiran said Akinto Marketing Corporation opened a payroll account in his name at Union Bank
Aurora-Balete Drive branch in July 2013. Malibiran, 72, said he worked as a consultant for Akinto,
earning P30,000 a month as consultancy fee, which was deposited regularly to his account. He said he
used the original PIN supplied by the bank to check on his balance online via the Union Bank website
but never made a withdrawal, saying he usually withdrew his money over the counter. During the
second quarter of 2014, the Union Bank website rejected the PIN code that Malibiran used to check on
his account. Malibiran said he asked his secretary to call the branch manager, identified as Christian
Dumlao, who said that the Union Bank website usually asked for additional information online as an
added security measure.

"Ganyan talaga po for your additional protection," he recalled the manager as saying. Malibiran then
continued to use his account for one to two months. He last made a P20,000 over-the-counter
withdrawal from his account at Union Bank on June 5, 2014 and then decided he wanted to let the
money accumulate for a while so that he would have cash before Christmas. Without his knowledge,
the monthly consultancy fees that were being deposited to his account twice a month were being
withdrawn via online fund transfer. As a result, a total of P159,000 were withdrawn from his account
without his knowledge from July to October 2014.

"When I asked my secretary to call the manager about the balance, the manager said: 'Bakit, may ine-
expect ba kayo na papasok na pera?' Sabi niya wala kasi ine-expect namin may P159,000 na diyan.
Ang sabi ng manager: 'Hindi ho, mam. 53 pesos na lang," Malibiran said. A check on his transaction
records showed that the online withdrawals were being done every start of the month on July and
August 2014. The withdrawals then increased in frequency and were being done on the same day that
funds were being deposited to the account.

TRANSACTIONS

JULY 1, 2014 - P39,000 - WITHDRAWAL VIA ONLINE FUND TRANSFER

JULY 14, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
JULY 28, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
AUGUST 1, 2014 - P30,000 - WITHDRAWAL VIA ONLINE FUND TRANSFER
AUGUST 13, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
AUGUST 28, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
AUGUST 28, 2014 - P30,000 - WITHDRAWAL VIA ONLINE FUND TRANSFER
SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
SEPTEMBER 29, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
SEPTEMBER 29, 2014 - P30,000 - WITHDRAWAL VIA ONLINE FUND TRANSFER
OCTOBER 13, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
OCTOBER 14, 2014 - P15,000 - WITHDRAWAL VIA ONLINE FUND TRANSFER
OCTOBER 28, 2014 - P15,000 - PAYROLL CREDIT
OCTOBER 28, 2014 - P15,000 - WITHDRAWAL VIA ONLINE FUND TRANSFER

"Hindi ito authorized. I have never authorized anybody to withdraw from my account," Malibiran said.
Malibiran's secretary and Akinto's accounts manager also went to the bank to complain but were told
that the funds were transferred to different depositors. When they asked for the names of these
accounts, the manager refused because the bank secrecy law disallows the release of information about
depositors. The manager also promised to forward the matter to Union Bank's anti-fraud department,
which investigated the case. On November 2014, Malibiran also sent a demand letter through his
lawyers, asking for a reimbursement of his missing funds. A copy of the letter was also sent to the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

PHISHING?
On January 12, 2015, the business manager of Union Bank Aurora-Balete Drive branch sent a letter to
Malibiran saying that his account's credentials were compromised, which allowed the unauthorized fund
transfers. "You have stated that the withdrawals were unauthorized, and it is rather unfortunate that
your account's credentials were at some point compromised and made known to a third party who then
used the information to perpetrate the withdrawals," the letter read. "Typically, the information is
gathered through a phishing email which pretends to be from a legitimate source and asking to verify
the account holder's personal information for some made-up reasons. They would then direct the client
to a counterfeit website and ask to input account credentials."

Malibiran's personal secretary Pamela Darunday, however, refuted the bank's explanation. She said she
only used the Union Bank's website to check the balance of the account. She also said they have never
received any e-mail from the bank, asking for information on Malibiran or directing them to click on a
link. "All the withdrawals before July 2014 were done over-the-counter and never online," she said.
Akinto's accounting manager Roderick Ramos also told ABS-CBN News that they removed 41 payroll
accounts from Union Bank Aurora-Balete Drive branch after discovering the theft. The payroll accounts
are now with a different bank, he said. Malibiran said he is disappointed that Union Bank cannot protect
their depositors even while promoting their online banking system. "They should have safety nets and
explain it to their depositors. In all previous online inquiries, they were okay. Tapos nung bandang huli,
ayaw nang tanggapin. Website nila yun," he said. He said he is also surprised that the funds were
being withdrawn on the same day that the money was credited to his account.

"The bank knows to whom the money went and yet they have not exerted any effort to inquire to that
depositor 'bakit ka nagkaroon ng ganito? Saan ba nanggaling yan? Malabnaw ang safety net. Dapat
extra effort from the bank despite the secrecy. Pakiramdam ko inside job from the bank."
He also said he plans to make an appeal to the Bangko Sentral to make a ruling on the matter in the
interest of depositors.

OTHER BANK DEPOSITORS LOSE MONEY

Malibiran's case of missing money is not the first to be reported. A TV Patrol report earlier described
the case of Union Bank depositor Marlene Atienza who also lost P115,000 from her account a day after
she checked her balance.
Atienza said the funds were also transferred to another account via online bank transfer.
"Nagulat ako P400 na lang laman ng account," she said. "Pinakita ko sa branch manager at agad naman
na-trace nila."
Another depositor, Bernadeth Ong, lost P20,000 from her account, which was withdrawn from Ortigas.
Ong, however, lives in Davao City and has never been to Ortigas. "Ang sabi nila baka na-skimming,"
she said.
Frane Ong, Union Bank depositor from Cagayan de Oro, said he also lost P90,000 from his account
right after checking his balance on the Union Bank website. "Nagtaka ako, akala ko nung una error
lang. Baka sa system. Lumampas 150 days wala pa ring nangyayari," he said. EXCL: Ilang depositor,
nawalan ng pera sa online banking, ATM
ABS-CBN News also learned about one bank depositor whose account showed funds being deposited
and withdrawn on the same day, without his knowledge. Union Bank Executive Vice President Genaro
Lapez earlier said Union Bank, just like other banks, has issued and continues to issue advisories to the
public, warning them against these scams.
"These can be seen in our website, in our posters, in our ATMs and in various media in order to promote
awareness to our clients," he said in a statement.

However, he also pointed out that in cases of phishing "where the client unknowingly volunteers his/her
personal information to scammers, the bank does not reimburse the cash lost by the client."
BSP Assistant Governor Johnny Noe Ravalo said depositors who are victimized by phishing scams
should file a complaint with the Bangko Sentral so that the BSP can act on the matter. He said the
BSP is also looking into how banks protect their clients against all kinds of fraud. "We can go to banks
and rate them from 1 to 4. 3 and 4 will be passing. 1 and 2 means the bank has big problems," he
said.

GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR ACTIVITY:

Answer the following guide questions and discuss your answers as a group:
• How can you tell if someone is phishing on your account?
• How did Mr. Malibiran lose his money in the bank? Narrate the incident.
• Do you think online banking is still safe? How can you avoid becoming a victim of phishing?
ARTICLE: Human trafficking in Asia going online, 3 May 2014, Authors: Alistair D. B. Cook and
Caitríona H. Heinl, RSIS
Human traffickers have an increasing number of targets online in Southeast Asia. The ASEAN region
has a growing population of over 600 million — and internet users have doubled. Technology-facilitated
trafficking is more diffuse and adaptive than initially thought, but online tools can also be creatively
employed to counter cross-border trafficking.

The explosion in mobile phone usage in the region facilitates real-time communication and coordination
by traffickers to recruit, harbour, transport, and provide higher numbers of victims for commercial
sexual activity or forced labour.

This in turn broadens their horizon and increases their reach. The sharp incline in mobile broadband
subscribers is also driving the explosion in global connectivity according to the United Nations Office of
Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Levels of cybercrime are increasing as individual and organised criminal
groups exploit new opportunities without the need for complex skills. For instance, online social media
allows for new ways to facilitate people trafficking, distribution of child abuse material, and new
avenues for recruiting victims.

Although ASEAN signed the Declaration Against Trafficking in Persons, Particularly Women and
Children, no significant progress on implementing the Declaration has been made. In particular, this is
because East Asian countries are a major source for long-distance, transregional trafficking. In the
most recent UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, East Asia and the Pacific account for nearly
40 per cent of detected child victims. Also, victims from this region are the most geographically
dispersed — found in more than 60 countries.

Trafficking networks seek children for illegal adoption, commercial sexual exploitation, drug trafficking
and child labour. Children under 18 using social media platforms often fall victim to traffickers. In the
first instance, a young person might receive a friend notification from an unknown person but still
accept the request. They increase exchanges, agree to meet and after continued social media
interaction they meet again. The child subsequently gets trafficked and this is how an estimated one
quarter of children reported missing in Indonesia are thought to have met their captors on social media
platforms like Facebook.

In February 2014, Chinese authorities rescued 382 babies and arrested more than 1000 people
suspected of buying and selling young children online. This followed a six-month operation in which
authorities were made aware of a website promoting private adoptions. Law enforcement authorities
subsequently uncovered an online black market that connected buyers and sellers over four websites,
online forums and some 30 groups on a popular Chinese messaging platform.

Law enforcement is increasingly improving and developing methods such as victim-identification

databases and data mining/analytics to improve forensic processes. However, governments in the
ASEAN region need a multi-pronged strategy that focuses on prosecutions, raises awareness, and
involves the private sector. Singapore developed the National Plan of Action for 2012–15 which
identifies a ‘4P’ strategy of prevention, prosecution, protection and partnership.

Along with the exponential increase in people accessing the internet throughout Asia, digital activism
will develop and grow. There have been several advances in anti-human trafficking responses, such as
the US government’s pro-active policy of combatting human trafficking and corporate social
responsibility schemes. While most innovation in this field emanates from the United States and Europe,
many realise the need to adapt these technological advances to the needs of people in Asia.

The Virtual Global Taskforce brings law enforcement agencies, NGOs and industry partners together to
protect children from online child abuse. In 2012 Operation Endeavour — an Australian, UK, US and
Filipino law enforcement effort through the Virtual Global Taskforce — used online tools such as data
mapping to identify areas in the Philippines where child abuse material was transmitted. Operation
Endeavour led to 29 international arrests, 11 of which were in the Philippines — dismantling an
organised crime group that had coordinated the live streaming of on-demand child sexual abuse.

In October 2013, the Taken Campaign launched the first anti-trafficking mobile phone application to
mark Anti-Slavery Day in London. In 2013, an anti-trafficking mobile phone application was developed
by RedLight Traffic in the US. Along with the Polaris Project (a US-based NGO), the app provides users
with potential trafficking indicators and red flags to identify victims, a 20-minute training exercise to
recognise trafficking, an anonymous way to report suspected cases to local authorities, and a sharing
tool to establish a local community network against human trafficking.

Also, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), UNODC and UNESCO joined forces in March 2014 to
promote a global campaign, ‘Your Actions Count — Be a Responsible Traveller’. The campaign was
launched with private sector support from Marriott International and Sabre Holdings who will promote
it to customers through their websites (Travelocity and lastminute.com), online booking tools, their
TripCase mobile app and GetThere booking tool.

These types of multi-stakeholder initiatives are sustainable and raise awareness — so are particularly
significant for the Asia-Pacific which is regarded as a source and destination area for trafficked persons.

Several multi-stakeholder approaches in the US and Europe are using ICT to tackle human trafficking
through the use of online petitions, data mapping and awareness-raising activities. It is difficult for law
enforcement authorities and governments to tackle this threat alone. Therefore, meaningful
collaboration between a range of stakeholders and public-private cooperation are essential to fight
trafficking, and counter criminals’ increasing use of ICT in Southeast Asia.

Alistair D. B. Cook and Caitríona H. Heinl are Research Fellows with the Centre for Non-Traditional
Security (NTS) Studies and Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) at the S. Rajaratnam
School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University.
GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR ACTIVITY:
Answer the following guide questions and discuss your answers as a group:
• Was there progress in the fight to stop human trafficking after ASEAN signed the Declaration
Against Trafficking in Persons, Particularly Women and Children?
• What is the percentage of child victims of human trafficking in the ASEAN Region?
• How does the Internet contribute to the increased number of human trafficking cases? Do
you think that the Internet can be used as a tool to victimize people? Explain your answer.
• Suggest at least 3 ways to help stop human trafficking.