By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
PHILIPPINE COMPANIES must strengthen efforts to combat online misinformation and disinformation, as the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) makes it easier to spread false narratives that could damage brand reputation, erode public trust, and hinder business growth, according to consumer intelligence firm Meltwater.
“The scale of media consumption in a country like the Philippines is much higher, so the spread of misinformation and disinformation is also at multiple levels of scale,” Ramnath Bojeesh, senior regional director for enterprise sales (SAPAC) at Meltwater, said in a virtual interview with BusinessWorld.
The rise of AI and large language models has made it easier to spread false narratives about a company, he said, noting their risks to brand reputation and public awareness.
“[If misinformation and disinformation are not addressed,] online users will naturally be split between whether the content they’re consuming is right or wrong,” Mr. Bojeesh said.
“This causes chaos, and would probably hamper the growth of a brand, a company, or the country as a whole.”
Even the country’s tycoons have been victims of AI-generated disinformation.
Earlier this year, San Miguel Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang and International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Chairman and President Enrique K. Razon, Jr. warned about fake advertisements that used their names and images to promote fraudulent investment schemes.
As a “mobile-first” nation, Filipinos spend about eight hours and 52 minutes on the internet daily, higher than the global average of six hours and 38 minutes, according to a report by Meltwater and media company We Are Social.
The country’s excessive online media consumption, along with the rise of AI, has raised concerns about how misinformation and disinformation are shaping Filipinos’ ability to distinguish facts from lies.
According to the 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report, 67% of Filipinos are concerned about misinformation and disinformation, well above the global average of 58%.
Older generations, typically active on social media platforms like Facebook, are mainly targeted through impersonated websites or domains, Mr. Bojeesh said.
Younger generations are also victimized by misinformation and disinformation in the form of memes or slang posts on short-form content platforms like TikTok.
Across all media platforms, bots and trolls propagate false content through clickbait posts, rage baiting, memes, and similar tactics.
To combat this, companies and public sector organizations must actively monitor online platforms used to spread false narratives about them, while verifying information circulating online about them, Mr. Bojeesh said.
Likewise, brands must ensure that the right technologies and frameworks are in place to combat the spread of false content, he added.
“To understand audience perception, brands need to be present in these [online] channels, be aware of the forms of content users are consuming, and educate them on false information about them with evidence,” he said.
Social media platforms also have the responsibility to label or take down posts that mislead the public, Mr. Bojeesh said.
“It is also in the earnest interest of brands or public sector organizations to work very closely with social media platforms and their security or compliance teams to proactively track fake campaigns being coordinated against them,” he said.
According to Mr. Bojeesh, creating a trust-based economy starts with actively dismantling misinformation and disinformation about brands online.
