The social media platforms have taken over the distribution of news globally. They treat a lie the same way you would treat a fact.
Maria RessaRead
If you want to rip the heart out of a democracy, you go after the facts. That's what modern authoritarians do. You lie. All the time. Then, you say it's your opponents and the journalists who lie.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes how attacking the truth can undermine democracy, illustrating the tactics of authoritarianism.
Maria Ressa's quote underscores the dangerous strategies employed by modern authoritarians to weaken democratic systems. By manipulating facts and spreading lies, they create an environment of mistrust, turning the public against the media and their political opponents while eroding the foundation of informed discourse that is essential to democracy.
Themes
DemocracyTruthAuthoritarianismLiesFacts
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a discussion about media integrity and its role in democracy.
More from Maria Ressa
All quotes βThe difference between Rappler and other newsgroups in the Philippines is that journalists control Rappler both editorially and commercially. We make decisions that are bad for business but protect the public sphere.
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Embrace your fear. Imagine what you're most afraid of, touch it and hold it so that you rob it of its power.
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Let me go back to a fundamental thing we all used to agree on: information is power. That's why we became journalists in the first place.
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Technology enabled Rappler's fast growth starting in 2012, but we were also among the first victims when social media was weaponized in 2016.
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In 14 months, my government, the Philippine 2 government, has filed 11 cases. I posted bail eight times, I've been arrested twice in five weeks, detained once, and the only thing I've done, my only crime is to be a journalist, to speak truth to power.
Maria RessaRead
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