Facebook Philippines expands its literacy program, Digital Tayo, to help people become more discerning on information they get from social media. Digital Tayo 2.0 is the product of the continued increase in online usage as a result of lockdowns and remote work.

“With Filipinos turning to technology to stay connected with friends and family throughout the pandemic, it is important for us to expand our digital literacy program,” said Clare Amador, head of Public Policy, Facebook Philippines. “Together with our partners from government, the academe, and civil society, we aim to reach even more Filipinos online, and help them learn to use tools and resources to create more positive online experiences and while staying safe online,”

Facebook Philippines launched Digital Tayo in 2019 to help its millions of users to become more responsible online users. More than 400,000 Filipinos underwent training which shifted to online at the onset of the pandemic that prompted lockdowns. Digital Tayo’s modules also generated over five million views across partners’ social channels.

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According to Facebook, those who have participated in training sessions reported more confidence in how they will act and deal with different scenarios they encounter online. 

With fake news still widespread all over the internet, the need to educate online users remains important.

Modules

Digital Tayo’s second module now includes topics on having healthy online relationships (with Facebook friends and networks), how to respect boundaries (sending private messages), and personal values, among others.

The basics of online citizenship such as cybersecurity, passwords, privacy, and verification can also be found in the modules.

One of the most notable topics is news verification because anyone can just post something online with any vetting process and this is dangerous on all fronts.

Amador said Digital 2.0 is a deep dive on how to handle online presence and the social media giant wants to empower its users and any online user on maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

All Digital Tayo digital literacy and citizenship modules and learning resources are free and accessible here.

Interactive content for students can be found through this link.