2022 ELECTIONS
Trolls are victims too
Internet trolls started to emerge during the 2016 National Election and have only grown stronger since Rodrigo Duterte assumed the Presidency. They have infested online commentary and discussion with all sorts of noise possible — baseless claims in defense of this administration and illogical slander against its critics. Naturally, every single comment, every single bit of misinformation that they spread, would draw anger and disappointment out of the sane and in-touch with reality — anger and disappointment at the perception that many still seem to support this regime. We must, however, see things from their perspective as well. They are victims too — victims of an endless cycle of poverty, poverty that the powerful have weaponized for their own benefit.
The Philippines has a high poverty rate; more than 16% of us live below the poverty line, and we all know how tough it is to be poor in our country. Poverty here does not just mean poverty in terms of wealth, but poverty in terms of rights and opportunity. If getting out of poverty comes at the expense of defending the indefensible, then the reason for why anybody is willing to take on this line of work becomes clear. After all, abstract ideas such as “democracy,” “press freedom,” and “human rights” can only go so far in feeding an empty stomach.
In pursuing one’s daily bread, being an internet troll would seem like a lucrative career. In 2019, their salaries would range between ₱30,000 and ₱70,000 monthly — a high pay, even for a degree holder. In earning a wage akin to that of an OFW from the comfort of one’s home, it would be difficult to reject an offer like this. Comparing this reported salary to the 10 highest paying jobs in the country in 2019, being a troll can get you to as high as third place — even higher than engineers and accountants. I wouldn’t be surprised why trolls would take this opportunity; it’s easy money for the bills, after all.
Then again, why the internet? How much damage can insults and falsehoods truly deal on our democracy? Well, it is no secret that social media has become a staple of Philippine life. We remain on top in social media and internet usage worldwide in 2020. This “addiction” to social media, therefore, is not just an avenue for information, communication, or entertainment, but it is also used as a tool to alter what we know, what we talk about, and what we believe in. Beyond everything, the reality that we are facing today is this: politicians will continue to seek online trolls because people need money. Even when they do leave out of regret, love for country, or some other thing, poverty is never in short supply. The people in power will continue to take advantage of their constituents’ poverty and, in turn, perpetuate themselves through misinformation. By perpetuating themselves in power, wealth is kept to a small handful of people — thus leaving the rest of us to fight for scraps. It is a cycle, and (sadly) it is a cycle that works.
It is easy to hate internet trolls because of the work they do, and I am no exception to this. Whenever I see them defending this administration despite every sin it has committed, I would always feel the need to fight back and rebut with facts and logic, hoping that I can change their minds. Later on, however, I realized that I may be barking at the wrong tree. They do what they do because it gives them something to provide for their families. Heck, they are probably well aware of Duterte’s numerous crimes against our people, but the choice between hunger and principles seems like an easy one when a person is fed well. At the end of the day, what matters to us as individuals is the prospect of being fed well enough to see another day.
What can we do then? How do we break a cycle that keeps us oppressed? It would be easy to say that truthful information is the antidote to misinformation, and that we must go above and beyond to educate our fellow citizens. Countering every falsehood with truth, however, is a knee jerk reaction at best. As long as the powerful continue to exploit the very people that they are sworn to serve, this cycle of poverty, trolls, and misinformation will continue and evolve as technology does. As if this is anything new, as the powerful have hoarded enough wealth throughout history to keep many of us in living paycheck to paycheck — vulnerable enough for vote buying, charisma, and impossible “3 to 6” months promises.
As the next presidential election approaches, it is important to be reminded that trolls are victims too. Despite one’s beliefs or allegiances, it is important to revisit the roots and context of one’s politics. After all, we are all molded by our circumstances — circumstances made possible by a ruling class hellbent on keeping itself on the throne. At the end of it all, there is only one enemy, and it is certainly not the random Facebook “DDS” tito or tita.
