Evolution and power of Media & Information

PRE-INDUSTRIAL AGE (BEFORE 1700S)

• The discovery of fire, development of paper from plants, and forgery of weapons and tools with stone, bronze, copper, and iron

• Cave Paintings (35,000 BCE)

• Papyrus in Egypt (2500 BCE)

• Clay Tablets in Mesopotamia (2400 BCE)

• Acta Diurna in Rome (130 BCE)

INDUSTRIAL AGE (1700S-1930S)

• The use of the power of steam, development of machine tools, establishment of iron production, and the manufacturing of books through the printing press.

• Printing Press for mass production (19th century)

• Newspaper (1640)

• Typewriter (1800)

• Telephone (1876)

ELECTRONIC AGE (1930S-1980S)

• The invention of the transistor which led to the transistor radio, electronic circuits, and the early computers.

• Transistor Radio

• Television (1941)

• Large electronic computers- i.e. EDSAC (1949) and UNIVAC 1 (1951)

• Mainframe computers - i.e. IBM 704 (1960)

INFORMATION AND DIGITAL AGE (1900S - 2000S)

• Where the internet paved the way for faster communication and the creation of the social network.

• Web browsers: Mosaic (1993), Firefox (1998), Chrome (2008)

• Blogs: Blogspot (1999), WordPress (2003), Wix (2006)

• Social networks: Friendster (2002), Facebook (2004), Instagram (2010)

• Microblogs: YouTube (2005), Twitter (2006), TikTok (2018)

Synthetic Media

It is a new form of virtual media produced with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) characterized by a high degree of realism and immersiveness. It tends to be indistinguishable from other real-world media, making it very difficult for the user to tell apart from its artificial nature. The best-known use of generative AI is generating fake audio and video, also known as "deepfake."

How to Detect AI Images/Videos

• Blurred background akin to a flat texture

• Unreadable text behind subjects

• Crooked or misshapen facial features

• Accessories like eyeglasses blend into the skin

  • Parts of the overall image have “painted” patches

How to Detect AI Art

• Surreal or dreamlike elements

• Unusual color palettes or textures

• Repetitive patterns or motifs

• Smooth, seamless blending of different elements or styles

• Lack of emotional depth or personal touch that human artists bring to their work

How to Detect AI Texts

• Length of extensive sentences

• Repetition of words and phrases

• Lack of analysis

• Storytelling efforts lack logical progression

• Generic explanations without details

Disinformation

Content that is false and/or misleading and have the intention to cause harm.

Misinformation

Content that is false but not created to cause harm, although its effect may be as harmful. Frequently, misinformation derives from initial disinformation.

Malinformation

True information that violates a person’s privacy without public interest justification.

People as Media

• These are ordinary individuals who create/share content (e.g., bloggers, vloggers, influencers).

• Strengths: Diverse voices, immediacy, relatability

• Risks: Lack of editorial checks can lead to misinformation and echo chambers

Media & Information Communities

• These are traditional (radio, print, TV), digital (social media groups, hashtags, subs, trends), or global Communities (#BlackLivesMatter, #ClimateAction, #FactCheckPH).

• Impact: Media builds identity, solidarity, but can also divide.

Power of Media & Information

• As a source of knowledge (education, awareness)

• As a tool for empowerment or manipulation

• As an influencer of perception (agenda-setting, framing)

• As a driver of civic participation (hashtags, online campaigns, fact-checking)

Common 🚩🚩🚩

• Single-source fallacy

• Confirmation bias - searching only for evidence that supports your initial hunch

• Images reused from past events relabeled as “current”

• Similar images ≠ same event

• Manipulated images/video (inconsistent shadows, mismatched reflections, or cloned patterns)

Reverse Image Search

• Finding where an image first appeared or other contexts where it was used.

  • Using multiple reverse-image engines (Google Image/Lens, TinEye, Yandex, Bing Visual)

  • Open matching pages

  • Check for copyright EXIF, reposts, or matches to an older news story as it may be reused out of context.

Triangulation

• Confirming or refuting the claim by finding independent, corroborating sources.

  • Search for independent reporting and expert/official statements

  • Check local authoritative sources and/or eyewitness content

  • Verify earliest known posting and construct a timeline of posts and reports

  • Synthesize evidence

Source Verification

• Checking the trustworthiness of the account/site that first posted the claim.

  • Find original poster and check account details

  • Look for signs of inauthenticity (extremely low post history, repetitive posts, identical content across many new accounts, or usernames that mimic reputable outlets)

  • Cross-check with reputable outlets and fact-checkers

Ethical & Safety Notes

• Be respectful.

• Protect privacy - for sensitive images (accidents, victims) follow ethical guidelines (blur faces; check school rules).

• Cite responsibly - don’t fabricate sources. If unsure, say “unable to verify.”

• Escalate threats or illegal content to the teacher/guidance office, don’t investigate dangerous situations alone.