Overview:
How can you tell real news from fake stories, and how can you protect yourself from online scams? Maiberel women learned practical ways to identify misinformation, fraudulent messages and misleading social media posts during a media literacy workshop conducted by the Palau Media Council. Participants are now calling for more training to help protect women and families across Palau.
By L.N. Reklai
KOROR, Palau (Nov. 12, 2026) – Members of Maiberel, Koror’s traditional women’s organization, are calling for more media literacy training to help women and their families recognize fake news, avoid online scams and make informed decisions about information they encounter on social media.
The Palau Media Council (PMC) conducted a media literacy workshop for Maiberel members on the evening of Nov. 11 at the Maiberel Conference Hall in Medalaii, Koror. The workshop focused on helping participants identify misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, fraudulent online messages and other misleading information that can cause financial and personal harm.
Leilani Reklai, president of the Palau Media Council, explained the differences between credible news reports from legitimate media organizations and information circulated through social media. She also discussed the importance of accountability and responsibility in journalism, emphasizing that professional media organizations are expected to follow standards and take responsibility for the information they publish.
Understanding this difference helps the public distinguish between accountable media outlets that identify their sources, verify information and can be held responsible for their reporting, and social media accounts or other publishers that may spread information without proper verification or accountability.
Ngewakl Soalabaob, a Palau Media Council member and producer at TMC Broadcasting Co., led interactive activities that allowed Maiberel members to practice identifying fake news and recognizing common online scams.
The discussion covered fraudulent emails and messages, fake online marketplaces and sales, advance-fee scams, romance scams and other schemes targeting people through email and social media.
The workshop highlighted how easily anyone can become a target, particularly as more people use smartphones and social media platforms such as Facebook to communicate, shop and obtain information.
For Maiberel members, the training provided practical knowledge they could use to protect themselves, their families and their communities from misleading information and online fraud.
Barbara Tulop, a Maiberel member, welcomed the workshop and said the information should reach more women.
“We should have this training more often because there are so many of us that need to know this information as well,” Tulop said.
Other participants also expressed appreciation for the information, actively taking part in the discussions and activities. Many said similar workshops should be organized more frequently and made available to more people because online scams and misleading information affect many Palauans.
Olkeriil Kazuo, another Palau Media Council member, also warned participants about cybersecurity threats, citing attacks on government agencies, including the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health, in which malicious actors stole data.
Kazuo advised participants to be cautious when receiving unfamiliar or suspicious emails and messages.
“If you receive an email or message that you are not sure about, do not open or share it,” he cautioned, advising recipients to contact someone who can verify the information or delete the suspicious message.
The workshop underscored the importance of media literacy as an essential skill in today’s digital environment. Being able to distinguish credible reporting from fabricated stories, recognize online fraud and question suspicious information can help individuals avoid becoming victims of scams and prevent the further spread of false information.
For Maiberel members, the message was clear: learning how to recognize what is real and what is fake is not only important for personal protection but also for safeguarding families and the wider community.