Although history may seem like a distant memory, it is actually closer to us than it has ever been with the advent of the internet. We can search for anything in seconds, putting the whole world at our fingertips. In spite of this, however, the danger of fake news and historical distortion is quickly overshadowing the truth.

 

According to Cristobal, 2019, historical distortion occurs when historical accounts or narratives are changed to suit a personal agenda, involving disinformation and lies to change history. In this time of deception, it is evident that Filipinos must learn to think critically about both the past and the present to avoid the erasure of definite fact for an easy-to-swallow fiction.

 

With made-up anecdotes of popular figures, both dead and alive, proliferating throughout the internet, critical thinking is a skill that should be developed in order to spot these fakes before they cause damage to the public perception of history. These falsehoods are more destructive than they may seem; they may actually affect politics and be used for the agenda of malicious parties.

 

People in the past faced problems from wars to famine. While the present may seem safer, the battlefield has been transferred to the realm of the virtual as the truth becomes harder to find in a sea of disinformation.

 

When push comes to shove, the strength of the internet are also its weakness — its availability and convenience make it easy for lies to slip between the cracks and reach vulnerable users. In the area of history, this is even more dangerous with the people who the stories are about no longer being alive to prove them wrong.

 

To solve this predicament, Filipinos can step up to the plate and educate themselves. They can also be vigilant about the things they share and check the facts before believing them in order to lessen the possibility of spreading fabrications masquerading as revelations.

 

While this may seem difficult, nothing will change if we do not put in the effort. In the long run, this will ensure that our own memory will not be marred when the page turns and we too become history.