How can the output of the date() function be manipulated to display the correct time in PHP forums?

To display the correct time in PHP forums using the date() function, you can manipulate the output by setting the correct timezone using the date_default_timezone_set() function. This will ensure that the date and time displayed are based on the specified timezone.

// Set the timezone to the desired location
date_default_timezone_set('America/New_York');

// Display the current date and time in the specified timezone
echo date('Y-m-d H:i:s');