A review by emelynreads
How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa

informative inspiring tense medium-paced

4.25

"You don't know who you are until you're forced to fight for it."

"I preferred confrontation because it would bring resolution."

"Journalism enables facts to survive"

"If you want to test a digital product for the west try it out first in the Philippines"

I tandem read this between the audio and a physical copy and it was great hearing Maria share her own story. 

This is an informative and inspiring story of Maria Ressa, first Filipino winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, who fought for journalistic integrity against a corrupt and fascist government in the Philippines. 

This story documents how Facebook and social media amplified lies to incite fear and anger since that does more for engagement rates. The Duterte government then would suppress facts and those journalists to continue the spread of false information and mislead/sway the minds of the people. 

As Maria explains, when you have a nascent digital product that you want to introduce to the West, you test it out first in the Philippines since so much of the population is online and actively using social media. 

This was a warning for the rise of fascism in the West that I think went ignored by America.