Four in every 10 social media users in the Philippines have blocked someone because of their views on political issues, a Pew Research Center study on mobile technology showed.
This is equivalent to 42 percent of the Filipino respondents, while 57 percent said they have not blocked someone because of political views.
Next to the Philippines is Kenya with 39 percent, Lebanon 37, Vietnam 36, Jordan 35, South Africa 34, Venezuela 25, Colombia 24, Tunisia 21, India 18, and Mexico with 17 percent.
The study also found that Filipinos are comfortable talking about politics. At least 81 percent of respondents said they feel comfortable talking about politics face-to-face, while 72 percent prefer to use mobile phones.
“Across the 11 countries, Filipinos are the most comfortable with using their mobile phones to discuss political issues: 72 percent of Filipino mobile phone users say they’d be comfortable doing so, including around a quarter who would be very comfortable,” the study said.
False information is also rampant in the 11 countries surveyed.
In the Philippines, 68 percent of respondents are exposed to articles with false information.
Tunisia has 78 percent; Lebanon with 76 percent; Vietnam with 72 percent; Jordan with 71 percent; South Africa with 69 percent; Venezuela with 57 percent; Kenya, Colombia and India with 55 each; and Mexico 44 percent.
