Attention economy: Truth in the age of reels

By Ray Adrian Macalalag

Have you encountered the term, attention economy? It is the system in which human focus is treated as a scarce resource to be captured and monetized, where virality often trumps truth and algorithms dictate visibility. The battle against misinformation is no longer just a media challenge. It has become a civic imperative. The digital landscape, once celebrated as a democratizing force, has turned into a battleground where truth competes with spectacle and expertise is drowned out by engagement metrics.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Philippines, where social media is deeply embedded in daily life. According to Statista, social media penetration reached 74.72 percent in 2022, equivalent to about 84 million Filipinos, and continues to climb. Facebook leads with a penetration rate of around 96 percent, while Instagram and TikTok steadily grow. In an archipelagic nation where distance complicates communication, these platforms bridge families and communities. They also serve as sources of news, spaces for commerce, and arenas for civic debate. Social media is not peripheral. It is central to how Filipinos connect, learn, and participate in society.

Digitalization has also become a key driver of the economy. The digital sector contributes about nine percent of gross domestic product, with telecommunications, professional services, and e-commerce among the leading components. Social commerce, in particular, is expanding as Filipinos increasingly use platforms not only for entertainment but also for transactions. This underscores both the reach and the responsibility of social media in shaping culture and economy.

But the attention economy does not reward truth on its own. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam, Santa Clara University, and Auckland University of Technology show how platforms that value attention over accuracy are reshaping our cities, our minds, and our media.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, urban investors now redesign neighborhoods for “instagrammability.” Aesthetics that photograph well determine which streets thrive and which businesses succeed. The city itself becomes a stage for digital consumption, where visibility is currency and those outside the frame are left behind.

Ethicists at Santa Clara University argue that social media platforms are engineered to be addictive. Features such as infinite scroll and variable rewards keep users hooked, not for their benefit but for advertisers. The harm is not just lost hours. It is the systematic exploitation of human vulnerabilities, often without users even realizing it, with real mental health consequences. This is not neutral design. It is a moral choice.

Meanwhile, a study at Auckland University of Technology shows how news organizations are trapped in a losing game. Despite relying heavily on Facebook for distribution, their revenue from social platforms is often less than one percent of total income. Platforms capture the clicks, data, and ad dollars. Newsrooms inherit the pressure to chase virality, weakening investigative work and eroding public trust. When outrage outperforms nuance, misinformation thrives.

In this environment, experts cannot afford silence. If misinformation thrives through memes, shorts, and reels, then credible voices must also be present in those formats. This realization shaped how I marked a personal milestone. On August 20, my blog, Ilonggo Engineer, celebrated its fifth anniversary. To commemorate it, I launched full-blown reel content, not to follow trends but to use the same medium that spreads falsehoods to promote learning and digital literacy.

Like many, I was skeptical at first. Could serious ideas survive alongside viral dances and comedy skits? Yet a 30-second reel can clarify a concept, correct a myth, or spark curiosity in ways that a dense report cannot. The challenge is to communicate without diluting, to make knowledge accessible and clear without mimicking entertainment. Short-form content, if grounded in evidence, can cut through the noise.

The attention economy is not inherently harmful, but left unchecked it fosters misinformation, polarization, and civic decay. Policymakers must regulate platform design to curb addictive features and promote algorithmic fairness. Schools should teach media literacy. And experts, whether academics, scientists, or engineers, must reclaim their role in the digital public sphere by engaging directly.

Celebrating Ilonggo Engineer’s fifth year reminded me that knowledge-sharing must evolve. Today, that means using reels not only for visibility but as tools against misinformation. Small, consistent contributions can ripple outward and help build a culture that values truth over noise. In the battle for attention, truth must not be the casualty.