Should I still feel so bad, should I still cry so often? I see other parents smiling, why can’t I? I thought if I did my grief work, it was supposed to get easier.
Grieving is hard work. Expectations of ourselves, and those that others place on us, can confuse and make us think we should be in a certain place at a certain time with our grief. Sometimes we hear, “Your child died five years ago, aren’t you over it yet?” Or, “It’s been a long time, why are you still crying?” Those comments hurt and push us away. Early in my grief, I read the following which helped me understand that I was fine where I was on my journey: Wherever you are in your grief is exactly where you should be. To that I would add; as long as you’re not abusing yourself or others, and not living in chronic grief.
We all know physical pain. A cut, a burn, a broken bone – undeniable signals our body sends when something is wrong. But what about the pain that has no visible source? The ache in our souls, the heaviness in our hearts, the constant whisper of something not being right within us?
This is personal pain. It doesn’t show up on X-rays or blood tests. It might take the form of deep sadness, relentless anxiety, unhealed trauma, or the emptiness of feeling lost. There’s a stigma surrounding this kind of pain, a silent expectation that we should “get over it”. But this dismissal only makes the internal wound fester.
Personal pain is not weakness. It’s a signal, just like a fever indicates an infection. Ignoring it or pretending it doesn’t exist won’t make it go away. Coping alone can feel like drowning in an invisible sea.
The good news? There are life rafts. Talking to a trusted person is a powerful first step. If pain runs deep, professional therapy can offer guidance to navigate the hurt and uncover a path to healing. Mindfulness, journaling, even finding simple moments of joy – these acts of self-care help build resilience.
It’s important to know that you’re not alone, and there are ways to find support and begin to heal. Here’s what I want you to remember:
It’s okay not to be okay. Coping is hard, and there are going to be bad days. Don’t judge yourself for the moments when you can’t hold it together. Allow yourself to feel whatever you need to feel.
Small steps matter. Healing isn’t a straight line, and even tiny gestures of self-care count. That might mean taking a hot shower, going for a short walk, listening to a piece of music that feels soothing, or talking to a trusted friend.
Small steps matter. Healing isn’t a straight line, and even tiny gestures of self-care count. That might mean taking a hot shower, going for a short walk, listening to a piece of music that feels soothing, or talking to a trusted friend.
It’s important to remember: pain doesn’t define you. It’s something you’re experiencing, not who you are. And although healing isn’t linear, with the right support, hope flickers. You weren’t meant to fight this battle alone; take a step towards that light. You deserve to feel whole again.
After 17 incredible years as “momblogger”, the time has come for a shift. But, rest assured, while I’ll no longer be using that moniker, the essence of who I am and the brand I’ve built will remain protected and untouched on social networks. Evolution is a natural part of growth, and my evolution has brought me to new horizons: a columnist of The Manila Times and diving into the strange new world of Artificial Intelligence as a generative artist.
I will just be Noemi Lardizabal-Dado or Noemi Dado but I won’t delete “momblogger” in social networks for reputation management.
So let me make it clear. My journey as a mom blogger was never about projecting an image of the perfect mother. Motherhood, with its challenges and rewards, has been a roller coaster.
On being a perfectly imperfect mother.
As I reflect on my journey, I embrace my perfectly imperfect role as a mother. Sure, I have made mistakes I wish I could undo. Without a mother to guide me and being raised by strict parents who didn’t know any better, I made a lot of mistakes but I loved my children in various ways. True, I showed more affection to one child than the other but it didn’t diminish the love I have for each one of them.
I choose to own my narrative, acknowledging my flaws, and cherishing my successes. Because in the grand story of motherhood, it’s not about being perfect, but about being present, loving fiercely, and learning constantly. Before I became a mom blogger in 2006, I made a conscious decision to change as a person, to be a better person so I could be a better mother. I learned about self-love which I often wrote about here in my blog. I wrote about nurturing my inner child because I never had a loving mother. I reached a point where I stopped blaming my parents for my life’s direction. The book on The Purpose-driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren inspired me to move beyond the pain of losing a son and get out of my misery.
I have changed.
I am different . Things have changed.
I refuse to be defined by my past mistakes. Do you believe that someone who has caused you so much pain deserves a second chance? I have written about this. I had to give myself a second chance. A second chance to be a more loving wife and mother.
I know my value as a parent and I can list the things that I did right as a parent which outnumber more than the bad things.
To all the mothers out there, remember that our imperfections make our stories unique and powerful. We are perfectly imperfect, and that’s more than enough.
On being a blogger
This blog will always be called “Touched by an Angel” in memory of my son. I will continue to write here probably even showcasing my generative artwork .
Being a blogger was another transformative journey. It started with my grief journey, then sharing parenting stories and transitioned into advocacy. Championing underrepresented stories and causes dear to me became my mission. And today, I find joy in being a coffee producer and exploring my creative side as a generative artist, even receiving an artist grant of my Coffee Artwork.
As I embrace this new chapter, I leave a message for all mothers: our flaws, experiences, and stories are what make us beautifully unique. Let’s own every part of our journey, for it makes us who we are: perfectly imperfect and more than enough.
Being a mother to young children in the mid-1990s, I witnessed how the internet could be a powerful tool for my children to connect, explore, learn and engage in creative and empowering ways. The United Nations’ Committee on the Rights of the Child in General Comment 25, adopted in 2021, emphasized the importance of the digital environment to children’s lives and rights. Spending time online, as stressed in the General Comment, brings unacceptable risks and threats of harm, some of which children also come across in other environments and some of which are unique to the online situation.
In 2020, about 2 million children in the Philippines were exposed to content that was inappropriate. The report “Disrupting harm in the Philippines: Evidence on online child sexual exploitation and abuse” indicated that 1 in 5 children in the Philippines ages 12 to 17 encountered child sexual abuse material while using the internet.
According to Disrupting Harm household survey data, 20 percent of internet-using children ages 12 to 17 in the Philippines were victims of grave instances of online sexual exploitation and abuse. Such abuse consists of being “blackmailed to engage in sexual activities, someone sharing their sexual images without permission, or being coerced to engage in sexual activities through promises of money or gifts.” Children were most commonly subjected to Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children via social media. Online child sexual exploitation and abuse (Ocsea) “refers to situations involving digital, internet and communication technologies at some point during the continuum of abuse or exploitation. Ocsea could occur fully online or through a mix of online and in-person interactions between offenders and children.”
Several promising awareness-raising initiatives in the Philippines touch on Ocsea, such as #BeCyberSafe by the Department of Education; the Child Protection Seminar initiative with internet café and computer shop owners, or the annual Safer Internet Day, among others. The report added that “these initiatives reflect a commitment by the Philippines Government and other stakeholders to improve the visibility of these crimes against children.
However, comprehensive evaluations of these campaigns are needed to measure their effectiveness.” One stakeholder is the partnership of Palo Alto Networks (Nasdaq: PANW), the global cybersecurity leader, with PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit, Smart Communications Inc. The objective is to strengthen the two telcos’ Child Protection Platform and enable a safer online experience for children. Over 1 billion attempts to access URLs with child sexual abuse material (CSAM) have been blocked by the platform since November 2021. Their Child Protection Platform is a cybersecurity solution developed to address the CSAM problems by blocking illegal traffic at the content level, which then restricts access to CSAMs that have found their way into legitimate domains. Palo Alto Network Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) and Cloud-Delivered Security Services including Threat Prevention, Advanced URL Filtering and WildFire scrutinize the content and convert URLs for redirection if CSAM-related traffic is found.
PLDT and Smart have also joined peers and other stakeholders from the private and government sectors in calling for the immediate passage of the Anti-OSAEC bill. The proposed law would institutionalize the taking down of websites that stream or host CSAM, as well as impose stiffer penalties against parties involved in child abuse cases.
Meanwhile, caregivers, teachers and social support services should be proactive. Understand what their children are doing both online and offline. Among children who experienced Ocsea on social media, the most common platforms took place on Facebook or Facebook Messenger, accounting for over 90 percent of cases. To a much lesser degree, other platforms cited were TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Among the insights presented, is to foster safe and ongoing communication between children and trusted adults about their lives online. Another is to ensure that responses to disclosures of Ocsea always convey that it is never the child’s fault, whatever choices they have made. Most of all, children should be informed about their right to be protected from all forms of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and exploitation.
I have a confession to make. In 2016, Ayoko Kay leni Robredo because Dilawan siya. But I got to interview her with my fellow bloggers for almost 2 hours . In our interview she said she had plans for anti poverty program.
At ginawa talaga niya. Angat Buhay started in October 2016. Mas lalo ako bilib sa kanya.
Angat Buhay is her anti poverty program under the Office of the Vice President.
As of December 2021, the OVP, through Angat Buhay, has partnered with 372 organizations mobilizing a total of P520 million worth of resources to assist 321,001 families and 305,223 individuals in 223 communities nationwide.
Some of the projects under the program are the Angat Buhay villages in Bicol and Marawi, medical assistance, and the construction of health centers and classrooms, among others. Imagine if she is president. She will make ANGAT Buhay lahat even bigger.
Two out of many reasons “Why Leni”. If president , she will push for a bill for a P100 billion stimulus package for MSMEs to help rebuild our economy while also making sure people don’t lose their jobs. Meron din balak ng Unemployment Insurance Program where you will get 80% of 3 months worth of their previous salary . This is what I will campaign when asked about her concrete plans.
Marami nag sabi wala siyang ginawa. I only knew of her achievements last year. Hindi siya epal. Her weakness and strength is she didn’t want to publicize her achievements. At that time, she had no intentions to run for President. She just kept on working.
These are her achievements
COVID -19 RESPONSE 1. P503 Million COVID-19 Response. 2. P58.84 Million Testing Kits. 3. P64.70 Million PPES. 4. P43.98 Million Dormitories for Frontliners. 5. P35.60 Million Disaster Relief Operations. 6. P20.43 Million Gadgets for students. 7. P17.28 Million locally funded projects. 8. P14 Million Hot meals for Health workers. 9. P2.5 Million support towards employees exposed to COVID-10. 10. P1.4 Million Hazard Pay for regular employees. 11. P817,000 Hazard Pay for the contract of service employees. 12. P249,500 Hazard Pay for contractual employees. 13. 23,345 Frontliners served through Vaccine Express, Cab Swab, Free Shuttle. 14. Community Mart sa Quezon City at Pasig para sa mga small-time market vendors at tricycle drivers na naapektuhan ng pandemya. 15. Vaccine Express initiative that inoculated 500 Aetas in Barangay Sta. Juliana. 16. Leni backed the passage into law of the Unemployment Insurance Bill that will create an unemployment insurance system to protect Filipinos who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DISASTER RELIEF/HOUSING 17. P12.3 Billion total value of given help to families. 18. P42.17 Million worth of help given to communities. 19. P12.80 Million contribution towards transitory shelters and shelter kits for Marawi 20. P207,244 or 1,022 individuals given relief ops. 21. P23.86 Million from the VP fund was shelled out for the victims of the Taal Volcano, Typhoon Quinta, Super Typhoon Rolly, and Typhoon Ulysses. 22. P8.841 Million donations were collected for the Taal eruption. 23. P2.360 Million donations were collected for Typhoons. 24. 12,489 families’ homes were repaired due to disaster-related damages. 25. 92,600 Light Bulbs given to homes in Metro Manila. 26. 3,776+ Households have been given electricity through the OVP’s Angat Buhay. 27. Assistance to at least 11 towns in Batangas, 1 in Cavite after the volcanic eruption, reaching at least 22.047 families in the two provinces. 28. 87 municipalities across 11 provinces were given aid that reached at least 56,148 families after the typhoons. 29. The OVP turned over pet supplies donated by different organizations to the Philippine Animal Rescue Team. This is to help in taking care of around 600 animals. 30. Leni has proposed the construction of stronger evacuation centers that not only will withstand natural calamities but will also accommodate pets and livestock. 31. Leni wants to strengthen the rescue capabilities of barangay officials. 32. In 2020, Leni together with the OVP’s partner-agencies provided boats for Aurora fisherfolk affected by typhoons. 33. After the Typhoon Ulysses calamity, Leni says that climate change should be taken seriously. 34. Leni recognizes that there is a “global climate emergency,” and values conversations on the issue. She supports instructional changes towards fossil fuel independence.
POVERTY REDUCTION 35. Leni was a practicing lawyer who focused on cases involving the marginalized sector. 36. P441.14 Million worth of resources mobilized through the OVP’s Angat Buhay with 330 partnered organizations. 37.341,779 families helped or 221,122 individuals in 381 communities nationwide through the OVP’s Angat Buhay. 38. P8.93 Million worth of projects, farm inputs, livestock, development and training wherein 127 individuals and 18 accredited Civil Society Organizations were assisted.
EDUKASYON 39. P122.96 Million worth of Educational infrastructure built. 40. P8.27 Million worth of School kits. 41. P4.49 Million worth of Scholarships and technical training. 42. P19.75 Million appraised value of gadgets and items raised via Kaya Natin donation drive for Bayanihan E-skwela, Community learning hubs, instructional videos for teachers and parents. 43. Leni wants SPED centers in all public schools. 44. Noong siya ay Housing Chief, she pushed to build communities that are friendly to persons with disabilities. 45. The OVP partnered with USAID and PBEd to provide free technical-vocational skills and employability training for over 1,000 unemployed and out-of-school Filipino youth.
BILLS AUTHORED 46. Principal Author of HB 19 or the Full Disclosure Bill. 47. Principal Author of HB 3905 or the Participatory Budget Process Bill. 48. Principal Author of HB 4911 or the People Empowerment Bill. 49. Co-author of HB 3432 or the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill. 50. Co-author of HB 3587 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill.
It has nothing to do with age. I was in my early 60s when I embarked on my journey as a coffee producer. Knowing nothing about coffee production , I was able to overcome my insecurities by just doing it. It’s never too late to start something out of your comfort zone.
Women have long fought for equality and while the road has often been filled with ups and downs, stories of women finding strength within themselves and using it to help other women find theirs has always been at the forefront of the journey towards women empowerment.
This Women’s Month, YouTube celebrated women content creators who were able to break the bias and chart their own journeys of equality in an online event titled Breaking the Bias: Online and beyond on March 30.
“The theme for this year’s Women’s Month is ‘Break The Bias’ which resonates so much with me. I myself experienced this. I felt that I had to break the biases that are attached to being a woman back in the day when I was just starting in the tech industry,” said Bernadette Nacario, Google Philippines Country Director.
“I believe that in order for us to break the bias, one of the steps we have to take is to ‘Ask Her First’. The simple habit of asking, rather than assuming, can lead more women to realizing their full potential and succeeding in what they choose to do,” Nacario added.
Hosted by Nikki Gil-Albert, the event highlighted the challenges women face–from body-shaming to dealing with disabilities–how they rose above it and how they encourage others to do the same.
Breaking biases online and offline
“Growing up, the beauty standard was all about being sexy and in order to be sexy, you needed to go on a diet. As a plus-size woman, I did not fit those standards,” said Helen Payawal of Helen On Fleek.
Helen is a beauty and lifestyle content creator who runs her own clothing and swimwear line. When she became a content creator, she revealed that she often came across comments about her size and how “it’s embarrassing” seeing a person like her wearing swimsuits.
That didn’t stop her from doing what she loves–vlogging and traveling–and if that didn’t stop her, her “curvybabes” shouldn’t either.
“A lot of us felt insecure growing up. But there’s this one quote that a friend shared to me that I will never forget — ‘Be someone who you needed when you were younger,’” she said. “I want to be someone who can inspire my fellow plus-size women that once you get over the shyness and what people would think about you because you are different, you will be limitless. At the end of the day, it’s your happiness that matters.”
ForJozelle Tech, a content creator and CEO of her own brand creative consulting firm The Rolling Media, living as a differently-abled person sometimes has challenges beyond the disability itself.
“Living as a physically-challenged person, people are prone to assumptions: that I would need help or that I won’t be able to do certain things,” Jozelle said.
Jozelle was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and uses a wheelchair to move around. This has led to many instances of people talking over her or asking her companion about her instead of directly asking her.
“They think I can’t handle the conversation on my own. The crazy thing about this is I’m right in front of them,” she explained. “By approaching my companion first, I’d feel like you see me as someone unequal or incapable.”
“This is why it’s very important to educate people about the right approach or way of asking questions. Sometimes comments like ‘can you do that’ can do more harm than good,” Nikki pointed out.
This is why Jozelle, through her YouTube channel, seeks not only to inspire others like her into following their passions but also helping people to change how they treat differently-abled people.
Building a world of strong, confident women
As a Muslim Filipina, Egypa Balindong felt that while being a woman is struggle enough, being a young Muslim woman and a minority is an even bigger struggle.
“People will always question your talent, capacity, and credibility and they will discredit your achievements just because you’re a woman,” Egypa said.
She was able to turn these challenges into opportunities as the filmmaker used her YouTube channel to show her life as a Maranao, as a Muslim, and most of all, as an empowered woman.
“I had to be brave enough to educate people about my culture and religion. By simply sharing my daily life with my friends and family, I was able to make people see that we are not different,” she said.
The world has come a long way but there is still more that needs to be done, especially when it comes to creating a world where women are empowered.
Mothers like Arra Solis (Rookie Mommy PH) play a major role in that regard. As mother to her young daughter and as a businesswoman, she has taken it upon herself to set an example that a woman can do anything she sets her mind on doing.
Before being a work-from-home mom and entrepreneur, Arra used to have a regular office job. She recalled that one of the difficulties she faced was being passed over when it comes to leadership positions or having decisions made for her.
“I was never really asked first if I wanted to do something or if I’m able to do it. This is when I learned to speak up and have people listen,” she explained before adding that she wishes her daughter would grow up in a world where such challenges are no more.
“I’m hoping that we get to a place where gender, skin color, religion, etc will not hinder her from getting the career path she wanted, may it be to take on a leadership role in a company or to start a business,” she added.
Learn more about how to #AskHerFist and #BreakTheBias to create a more inclusive place for women. Listen to their stories on the Google Philippines YouTube and Facebook pages.
I never imagined dabbling in video production much less being a program participant of the YouTube Creator Program for Independent Journalists. I just arrived in my hospital room after an angiogram procedure on July 15 when I checked my emails with my left hand. My cardiologist told me that I shouldn’t move my right hand until I got the clearance.
I thought, “wow, they had to inform me I didn’t get accepted”. I applied two days before the deadline, and went through an interview and heard nothing since June. I really thought I was not accepted so why was the email congratulating me. It was the second good news within one hour. First, the angiogram showed I had no blockage in my heart. Second, this news saying I am IN . Though I have a YouTube channel for 14 years now, I never made any effort to create interesting videos. I concentrated mostly on short form and long form written content. All of my videos were raw files from my coverage. Also, for the past four years, I concentrated on being a budding coffee producer. In fact, I started creating videos of our Agnep coffee farm but not for social issues.
We’re excited to announce today the selection of nearly 50 independent journalists and over 40 digital-first newsrooms across the programs. Our Creator Program for Independent Journalists aims to give the growing number of reporters publishing independently the tools needed to succeed on YouTube. And the Sustainability Lab for Digital-First Newsrooms provides support for digital native newsrooms to start and expand their video operations.
While I am happy to be one of the 50 participants, I am disappointed to be the only one in the Philippines. It would have been fun to learn from each other. Still, I am grateful to learn from my cohorts. Training started on basic video production. More will come during the year.
YouTube said that “over the course of the next year, we’ll offer journalists in the Creator Program training in industry best practices, including comprehensive sessions on video production and editing, audience development, entrepreneurship, and achieving financial sustainability on the platform. Participants will receive grants to help fuel their new video operations.”
So I am thinking of my content for the years to come. Developing a social media campaign requires a lot of thought, time and effort, especially in human rights work and social advocacy. Underrepresented stories I have covered are the victims of extrajudicial killings and the harassment of indigenous communities. The needs of our farmers, laborers and the marginalized sectors are issues I have covered and continue to write. Let me know if there are urgent issues I need to cover.
If you have been a regular visitor of my blog for the past 15 years, you would have known my journey. This latest gig is another chapter of my new normal in honor of my beloved son who made sure I had some mission to fulfill in this mortal world. This is my journey
Last year, I wrote about “Social Media and Suicide.” The World Health Organization (WHO) states that close to 800,000 people kill themselves every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. Suicide among young people is increasing, and social media is pointed out as the cause due to documented research.
Research findings published in the medical journal JAMA on July 2019 found that “adolescents are of particular concern.“ Increase in screen time have been found to be associated with increases in depressive symptoms. More evidence also points out to social media use. The 2012 study on “Social Media and Suicide: A Public Health Perspective” (David D. Luxton, PhD, Jennifer D. June, BA, and Jonathan M. Fairall, BS) cited the role social media might have in suicide-related behavior. The rise of pro-suicide, social media sites may pose a new risk to vulnerable people who might not have been exposed to these potential hazards. Media also plays an influence on suicidal behavior and suicide methods used. Cyberbullying and cyber harassment are prevalent problems. An increase in publicized cases of suicide in 2011 involved social media.
Another paper came out, “Increases in Depressive Symptoms, Suicide-Related Outcomes, and Suicide Rates Among US Adolescents After 2010 and Links to Increased New Media Screen Time” (Jean M. Twenge, Thomas E. Joiner, Megan L. Rogers, Gabrielle N. Martin), in 2017. The study discovered that adolescents who devoted more time online were more likely to report mental health issues. Psychiatrist Dr. Dinah Nadera said “that sense of lack of social connectedness is very, very prevalent…. They’re connected, but they couldn’t seem to have a trusted person.”
The relationship between social media use and depression remains a controversial topic. A study in 2018 by San Francisco-based social innovation group called HopeLab did not find a correlation between use and self-reported depressive symptoms. Despite the lack of conclusive studies, I couldn’t stress enough that our digital well-being matters. It is best to disconnect when called for and create healthy habits for our family.
Suicide prevention is everybody’s business. Educate our community that suicide is a preventable public health problem in the Philippines. Suicide should no longer be considered a taboo topic, and that through raising awareness and educating the public, we could SAVE lives.
To prevent suicides, the whole community from the school, family, church, government, netizens and media are involved. WHO said responsible reporting of suicide in the media to decrease suicide rates. Responsible reporting include: avoiding detailed descriptions of suicidal acts, avoiding sensationalism and glamorization, using responsible language, minimizing the prominence of suicide reports, avoiding oversimplifications, educating the public about suicide and treatments, and providing information on where to seek help. Every person, as a part of that community, need to take responsibility.
The Lancet published research on “What Works in Youth Suicide Prevention?” and the review identified many studies testing a broad range of interventions across multiple settings, which could reduce the frequency of self-harm and suicidal ideation, “although it is likely the size of these studies that is driving the effects.”
The question is are Facebook, Twitter and Google, the most popular platforms doing enough to prevent suicide?
Facebook announced during World Suicide Day on Sept. 10, 2019 that it is taking steps to fight the youth suicide epidemic, including sharing data about how its users talk about suicide and self-harm and hiring a safety policy manager focusing on health and well-being. Some changes in policy is Facebook’s decision to “no longer allow graphic cutting images.” Even Instagram which they own would also make “it harder to search for this type of content and [keep] it from being recommended in Explore.” Whether you’re worried about someone you know or you’re struggling on your own, Facebook provided a Suicide Prevention Page (http://facebook.com/safety/wellbeing/suicideprevention).
In Google’s Suicide Prevention page (https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802245?hl=en), content that promotes self-harm or is intended to shock or disgust users is not allowed on YouTube. Google allows users to post content discussing their experiences with depression, self-harm, or other mental health issues. Instagram also has a page on those who spot content about suicide or self-injury (https://help.instagram.com/388741744585878 ). Twitter’s approach to self-harm and suicide threats is explained in their “About self-harm and suicide” (https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/self-harm-and-suicide). After Twitter assesses a report of self-harm or suicide, they will “contact the reported user and let him or her know that someone who cares about them identified that they might be at risk.” Twitter would also provide the reported user with available online and hotline resources and encourage them to seek help.
One couldn’t just rely on social media platforms to moderate the content. Let’s take time to understand the social media platforms and potential warning signs or indicators for self-harm or suicide.
The recent surge in “Facebook clones” or dummy accounts or fake Facebook profile pages caused alarm among many netizens, including my friends and family members. Imagine, my husband had to report five blank and duplicate Facebook profiles that were “pretending to be me.” As of this writing, Facebook removed only one of my three clone accounts.
National Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said it was too early to establish the cause of the sudden proliferation of the fraudulent Facebook accounts because of an internal glitch or by external factors.
The activists arrested at the peaceful protest held at the University of the Philippines Cebu campus were the first to mention that their accounts were “duplicated”. Netizens voiced out their concerns over these fake profiles using the hashtag #HandsOffOurStudents. Other reports pointed out the targets of the spoofing attacks were outspoken of the Anti-Terror Bill of 2020, but even pro-administration netizens claimed they were victims, too.
Jonathan Ong, who co-authored several studies on local troll armies, believes fake Facebook accounts’ creation could be a ploy to gain access to people’s data and information. Ong mentioned in his interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) that “the creation of dummy accounts was widely used in the 2016 National Elections, but Facebook has since made it harder to create these accounts, causing disinformation campaigners to abandon the tactic.” It puzzles him why this happened. “It might be around control of people’s data, that’s what’s more concerning for me,” he told ANC. The organizations or people behind the sudden surge of fake Facebook profiles could be showing off that they have access to people’s data and information.
Lawyer JJ Disini, an expert on IT law, shared the dangers of a fake Facebook profile. When a target is identified, a fake Facebook profile is created with the same name as the former. At the right time, the fake profile page would be made to appear identical. Disini warns that the user’s photo and banner of the real account could be copied and pasted. A target could be locked out of his legitimate Facebook page by filing bogus complaints against the target with Facebook. While the target is locked out of his page, a post is created on the fake page where target commits a crime, for example, a threat on the life of the country’s president. The next likely scenario would involve taking a screenshot of the fake account with the incriminating post, then followed by deleting the fake page. Charging the target with a crime based on the screen shot could follow next. I don’t know if we could use the screenshot as evidence. When I filed a complaint against Facebook on the Cambridge Analytica data breach, the National Privacy Commission asked for the link to my Facebook post exposing the breach.
What could you do to protect your identity on Facebook? Ensure your Facebook account is secure. Enable the Two-Factor Authentication. If you are using a pseudonym or nickname, enter your birth name as optional information (under Settings, Personal Information, Name, Other Names) in your Facebook account. You could add your nickname and birth name. Under the Settings, Personal Information, you could submit proof of identity under “Identify Confirmation” as another layer of security. If you run ads about social issues, elections or politics, Facebook might ask you to provide proof of your identity. I complied with the “Identify Confirmation” because I handle many Facebook pages. All this precaution might not be a guarantee that your page won’t get disabled from a malicious takedown.
I also suggest documentation of your Facebook clones. Aside from screen shots, get the links and keep them on file. The open-source web app, http://doppelbanger.now.sh could search duplicate fake accounts on Facebook. Not all are fake, though. The results on Facebook Search revealed I had three clones. Using this web app showed five more.
Publish your social networks in your blog or LinkedIN so people would know where to search for you instead of using Facebook Search. Continue to write content that shows your “personal branding,” or how you want to establish and promote what you stand for.
While we continue to demand answers from Facebook and investigators, let’s secure and protect our personal data and privacy.
Virtual reality (VR) reports surfaced in my newsfeed after lockdowns took place around the world. Bloomberg’s April 21 article, “Zoom parties are so five weeks ago: Hello virtual reality,” grabbed my attention. Oh yes, whatever happened to my Oculus Go? This standalone VR headset, which I purchased in 2018, gathered dust already because reality kept me away.
As community quarantine is now the new normal, I explored video conferencing apps, including social virtual reality, to cope with this work from home situation. After inviting my sisters over to my Oculus Room, I found out Facebook removed this interactive space for friends to hangout. I missed the Oculus Rooms, because it was my home in virtual reality.
In this space, I invited Facebook friends, customized my room with photos, watched movies, played games like riding the rollercoaster together, or listening to music and so much more. Horizon would replace Oculus Rooms, but there is no set date for its release.
My sisters and I in virtual reality using vTime and our Oculus Go Headsets
In my quest for social VR alternatives, I explored AltSpace VR and vTime XR. The vTime XR provided amazing destinations and better-looking avatars. My sisters and I unpacked our dusty Oculus Go headsets and traveled to many locations. In virtual space, the avatar representation with the audio gave the impression of having my sisters right beside and in front of me. Each destination could only seat four and since we are four sisters, we could chat virtually at unique places together — sunset at the beach, zen garden, under the sea, space station, TV studio or the edge of a mountain — not for agoraphobes, believe me!
At the terrace of a Parisian apartment overlooking the Eiffel Tower, we chuckled at each other’s fashion statement. We promised each other that every time we meet, we would diversify our fashion choices. The vTime likes to think of itself as a “sociable” network, rather than a social network. Users without a VR headset could join sessions via “Magic Window” mode on Android and iOS phones. As a cross platform, all user avatars support audio lip syncing and avatar eye tracking. One could use the network’s library of virtual emojis “vMotes” allowing users to express themselves. Not enough time to get addicted with Oculus Go because the headset defaults into shutting down after two hours.
A friend who only used her headset after getting it as a present a year ago, squealed with delight as she discovered emotional escape not only in social VR, but in a VR immersive fishing game. “It’s nice for after work and I just want to chill out,” she explained.
Nature trips and travel to countries around the world in VR is compelling in a time when this unprecedented period of community quarantine deprives us of the outside world. VR cannot replace the outdoors, but it could ferry us away briefly from the boredom of a lockdown. Frontiers in Psychology published a paper on Jan. 15, 2020 and posed the question: “Could simulated nature support mental health?” The study concluded that “nature exposure in virtual reality could provide emotional well-being benefits for people who cannot access the outdoors. Six minutes of nature exposure in mobile VR headsets produced similar effects as six minutes of outdoor nature exposure.”
Both conditions were superior to sitting indoors with no exposure to nature. It is interesting to note that “short and isolated exposure to a 360-degree video of nature may provide an emotionally beneficial alternative to visits to outdoor nature in healthy student populations who might not otherwise access restorative outdoor environments.” No wonder I felt great after a session.
Even if you don’t have a VR headset, that shouldn’t stop you from a virtual experience.
Though my VR experience is only with the Oculus Go and the Oculus Rift, the former is affordable and easier to use. VR headsets fit under one of three categories: mobile, tethered or standalone. Standalone headsets other than my Oculus Go are the Oculus Quest, Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream, HTC Vive Focus and Vive Focus Plus. Google Daydream, Nintendo Labo VR Kit and the Qualcomm-compatible XR viewers are some of the mobile headsets.
Tethered headsets like Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive and Vive Cosmos, Sony PlayStation VR, Windows Mixed Reality and Valve Index present the most immersive experience but could be pricey and clunky. The easiest way to watch VR is with a smartphone like I mentioned with the vTime social VR. One could still enjoy a VR Light experience by checking out selections of 360 and VR180 videos on YouTube or even Facebook 360 videos. Entry level Google Cardboard puts virtual reality on your Android and iPhone. Download the app and get a Google Cardboard viewer on Lazada or Shopee.
VR as the platform of tomorrow is still a niche market, but this global pandemic might just push its widespread use.
First published in Hello, Virtual Reality at Sunday Business & IT, May 17, 2020
