In an era increasingly defined by rapid technological shifts and political upheaval, the foundational pillars of democracy – truth, transparency, and civic institutions – face unprecedented assault. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, a Filipino-American journalist renowned for her courageous fight against disinformation, offers a chilling and prescient warning: the United States is rapidly traversing a path strikingly similar to the Philippines’ descent into authoritarianism, a trajectory fueled by “ultra-processed speech” and weaponized algorithms. Her insights, forged in the crucible of her own battles with government repression and online manipulation, underscore a global “dictator’s playbook” where money and power consolidate through insidious means, eroding democracy worldwide.

Ressa’s experience in the Philippines serves as a stark blueprint for the dangers she now sees unfolding in America. Under former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines, despite having a constitution patterned after the United States, witnessed a rapid collapse of its civic institutions “within six months.” This authoritarian shift, she notes, was driven by swift executive actions, with Duterte issuing “143 executive orders” that fundamentally reshaped the nation’s reality. Ressa herself became a target, facing “11 arrest warrants in a little over a year” for her journalistic work exposing government truths. Her harrowing experiences, including imprisonment, have instilled in her a profound understanding of how quickly fundamental rights can be eroded if citizens “do not reclaim your rights [and] if you don’t stand up it’s going to be significantly harder to claw them back.”

The parallels Ressa draws between Duterte’s tactics and the actions observed in the Trump administration are alarming. She highlights how, in both contexts, the executive branch has exerted immense pressure on the legislature, which is meant to serve as a check, and on the judiciary, which is tasked with upholding the rule of law. In the Philippines, this pressure led to both branches becoming “compliant” through “inaction.” This dynamic, where individual judges and justices become targeted, making it “that much harder” to uphold the rule of law, is a phenomenon Ressa now observes mirrored in the U.S.

Central to this global playbook is the insidious manipulation of information, particularly through social media platforms. Ressa argues that Silicon Valley, being American, is inherently intertwined with this issue. She contends that any attempt to “check facts” or “policing on public platforms” has been framed as a curb on free speech. This redefinition of free speech, where it is increasingly interpreted as “speech that supports the president,” creates a dangerous environment where facts are devalued and dissent is stifled. The meshing of tech CEOs and presidential power becomes evident when, as Ressa recounts, figures like Mark Zuckerberg were allegedly “threatened… with jail” for perceived disloyalty, even over bipartisan efforts like “Zuckerbucks.” She notes that while money was initially used to “weaponize that brain hack for profit,” it has now evolved into a tool for “political consolidation and power” – a dual-purpose weapon wielded hand-in-hand across the globe.

The Philippines, for six consecutive years until 2021, famously spent “the most time online and on social media globally.” This pervasive digital engagement made it a prime testing ground for tactics of mass manipulation. Ressa reveals that Cambridge Analytica, the infamous data firm, “tested tactics of mass manipulation in our country and if they worked… they ported it to yours.” This “McRib” analogy—testing a product in one market before global rollout—underscores how manipulation strategies refined in one nation can be swiftly deployed in others. Ressa had warned Silicon Valley in 2016 that “what is happening to us is coming for you,” a prophecy that has, in her view, tragically materialized. She observes that instead of safeguarding democracy, many of the protective measures designed to curb misinformation have been “ripped off in time for the 2024 elections.”

A critical element of this digital authoritarianism is the inherent design of social media platforms. According to a 2018 MIT study, “social media spreads lies… at least six times faster.” This inherent “incentive structure,” particularly when “laced with fear, anger, and hate,” allows lies to “go viral” with devastating efficiency. Ressa likens this to “toxic sludge” that “hacks our biology,” influencing emotions and changing how people perceive the world, act, and ultimately vote. This “ultra-processed speech,” far from merely adding “a little bit of humor or a little bit of fear or a little bit of outrage,” is about “designing a machine” to bypass critical thinking and manipulate behavior. The consequences are stark: as of March 2025, a study in Sweden indicates that “72% of the world is now under authoritarian rule,” with “illiberal leaders democratically” elected due to “insidious manipulation.”

Ressa emphasizes that in countries experiencing such authoritarian shifts, citizens often find themselves “living on eggshells on the whims of one man,” whether they are researchers, day laborers, or small business owners. The inherent stability provided by functional civic institutions, even if “abysmal,” is replaced by a pervasive sense of insecurity. She stresses that if rights are not actively protected, they are lost, and it becomes “so much harder to reclaim them.” She criticizes leaders who fail to offer a “real sense of process or scaffolding that could create a ladder out of this hole,” leaving citizens feeling like “deer in headlights.”

Despite the bleak outlook, Ressa maintains a defiant optimism, framing the current moment not as an “information apocalypse” but an “information Armageddon.” The distinction is crucial: “apocalypse is done, it’s the end of the world,” while “Armageddon is the battle.” This optimistic perspective fuels her continued fight. She highlights her own resilience, noting that despite enduring “11 arrest warrants” and a conviction, her work at Rappler, her news organization, only grew stronger when it came “under attack.” Her lawyers told her she was “crazy” for refusing to negotiate with Duterte, but by simply “keep[ing] doing our jobs,” they eventually saw results. In a remarkable turn of events, “in March this year, Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on alleged crimes against humanity and he is now in jail in The Hague waiting for his trial.” This serves as powerful proof that even seemingly insurmountable authoritarian regimes can be challenged and, ultimately, held accountable.

While acknowledging that the fight for truth and democracy is far from over, and that “choppy waters” still lie ahead, Ressa’s message is one of urgent hope. She firmly believes that journalists, acting as “mission-driven” organizations, are vital in this battle. Her work, a “sav for the soul” in “this unbelievably strange deer in headlight time,” underscores the enduring power of truth in the face of insidious manipulation. The battle for Armageddon, in Ressa’s view, is a call to action, demanding vigilance, courage, and an unwavering commitment to holding power accountable, even when “money and power go hand-in-hand” and actively seek to redefine reality. Her journey is a testament to the belief that by standing up, by speaking truth, and by refusing to be silenced, even the most powerful authoritarian algorithms can ultimately be defeated.