WRAP: Congress leans toward regulation, punishment amid probe into disinformation | ABS-CBN
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WRAP: Congress leans toward regulation, punishment amid probe into disinformation
WRAP: Congress leans toward regulation, punishment amid probe into disinformation
Eight of the eleven subpoenaed vloggers, including former press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, columnist Mary Jane Quiambao-Reyes, and writer Krizette Laureta-Chu, attended the third hearing on fake news by the House Tri-Committee at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Friday, March 21, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file
Eight of the eleven subpoenaed vloggers, including former press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, columnist Mary Jane Quiambao-Reyes, and writer Krizette Laureta-Chu, attended the third hearing on fake news by the House Tri-Committee at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Friday, March 21, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file MANILA — “Do we really need freedom?” Mocha Uson — a vlogger and later a Palace official — said in June 2016 on concerns about human rights under the incoming administration of then President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, “or do we need discipline?”
MANILA — “Do we really need freedom?” Mocha Uson — a vlogger and later a Palace official — said in June 2016 on concerns about human rights under the incoming administration of then President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, “or do we need discipline?”
Nine years later, after the House held hearings on disinformation where members scolded some content creators and influencers affiliated with Duterte, she said: "R.I.P. Freedom of Expression."
Nine years later, after the House held hearings on disinformation where members scolded some content creators and influencers affiliated with Duterte, she said: "R.I.P. Freedom of Expression."
The change in tone mirrors the shift in political winds since 2022, with the Palace — now under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — cracking down on disinformation, including content from social media personalities it used to be on the same side of.
The change in tone mirrors the shift in political winds since 2022, with the Palace — now under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — cracking down on disinformation, including content from social media personalities it used to be on the same side of.
Proposed solutions from Congress, however, have not changed since the pandemic, when spreading "false information about the COVID-19 crisis" was penalized.
Proposed solutions from Congress, however, have not changed since the pandemic, when spreading "false information about the COVID-19 crisis" was penalized.
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"Kailangan ho tayo may batas din doon pati ‘yong mga nagse-share-share na ‘yan sasabit din kasi parang kino-condone mo alam mo namang fake," ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, a broadcaster and frontrunner in surveys for senator, said.
"Kailangan ho tayo may batas din doon pati ‘yong mga nagse-share-share na ‘yan sasabit din kasi parang kino-condone mo alam mo namang fake," ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, a broadcaster and frontrunner in surveys for senator, said.
(We should have a law where even those who share this are held accountable because it's like you're condoning something that you know is fake)
(We should have a law where even those who share this are held accountable because it's like you're condoning something that you know is fake)
Others on the administration's senatorial slate hold similar sentiments, with former Senate President Vicente Sotto III saying a bill against "fake news" would be among the first he will file if elected.
Others on the administration's senatorial slate hold similar sentiments, with former Senate President Vicente Sotto III saying a bill against "fake news" would be among the first he will file if elected.
At least one arrest has already been made, with the National Bureau of Investigation saying it is also investigating other vloggers.
At least one arrest has already been made, with the National Bureau of Investigation saying it is also investigating other vloggers.
The Department of Agriculture is also working with the NBI to go after people claiming farmers in Nueva Ecija had been driven to suicide by low palay prices, saying this is disinformation that can affect people's lives.
The Department of Agriculture is also working with the NBI to go after people claiming farmers in Nueva Ecija had been driven to suicide by low palay prices, saying this is disinformation that can affect people's lives.
HARSH WORDS AT HOUSE HEARING
Three committees of the House this week pushed through with hearings into disinformation, with members clashing with some content creators, two of whom admitted to not verifying information that they post about.
Three committees of the House this week pushed through with hearings into disinformation, with members clashing with some content creators, two of whom admitted to not verifying information that they post about.
Three broke down in tears — among them content creator and lifestyle editor Krizette Chu, who apologized to Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante for calling the government stupid.
Three broke down in tears — among them content creator and lifestyle editor Krizette Chu, who apologized to Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante for calling the government stupid.
She also acknowledged that she had no proof of her claim of massive resignations from the uniformed services in protest of former president Duterte's arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.
She also acknowledged that she had no proof of her claim of massive resignations from the uniformed services in protest of former president Duterte's arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.
She was, she said, going by the impression that she got from watching TikTok videos.
She was, she said, going by the impression that she got from watching TikTok videos.
Content creators who identify as Duterte supporters have objected to being singled out by the House, where Marcos Jr. enjoys majority support and where his cousin, Leyte Rep. Martin Romuladez, is speaker.
Content creators who identify as Duterte supporters have objected to being singled out by the House, where Marcos Jr. enjoys majority support and where his cousin, Leyte Rep. Martin Romuladez, is speaker.
But SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, running for senator as part of Duterte's slate, has been active in the hearings too.
But SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, running for senator as part of Duterte's slate, has been active in the hearings too.
He spent past sessions lecturing a lawyer who made unflattering vlogs about him, and clashing with Philippine Coast Guard Jay Tarriela whom he thought had called him a traitor.
He spent past sessions lecturing a lawyer who made unflattering vlogs about him, and clashing with Philippine Coast Guard Jay Tarriela whom he thought had called him a traitor.
MOST FILIPINOS SEE 'FAKE NEWS' AS A SERIOUS ISSUE
Beyond rivalries between factions of government, disinformation has also been used to push narratives that suspected drug users deserve to be killed and that activists are engaged in terrorism, as well as influence public sentiment on issues like the West Philippine Sea.
Beyond rivalries between factions of government, disinformation has also been used to push narratives that suspected drug users deserve to be killed and that activists are engaged in terrorism, as well as influence public sentiment on issues like the West Philippine Sea.
More than half of Filipinos, 59%, see "fake news" in social media as a serious issue, according to Social Weather Stations findings released this month. Slightly more respondents, 62%, said it is also a serious issue in corporate media.
More than half of Filipinos, 59%, see "fake news" in social media as a serious issue, according to Social Weather Stations findings released this month. Slightly more respondents, 62%, said it is also a serious issue in corporate media.
SWS said 65% also said they find it hard to distinguish what is real and what isn't across all media.
SWS said 65% also said they find it hard to distinguish what is real and what isn't across all media.
That has been made harder by what law and rights group IDEALS Inc. calls a "no consequences" online culture "where Filipinos have become desensitized to the pain of others: treating death as a joke, turning serious issues into sources of mockery, and wishing harm upon those they disagree with."
That has been made harder by what law and rights group IDEALS Inc. calls a "no consequences" online culture "where Filipinos have become desensitized to the pain of others: treating death as a joke, turning serious issues into sources of mockery, and wishing harm upon those they disagree with."
PUNITIVE 'GOVERNMENT-ONLY'APPROACH PROBLEMATIC
But media literacy and rights groups have cautioned against criminalization, saying this would be prone to abuse and could be used against legitimate criticism and dissent.
But media literacy and rights groups have cautioned against criminalization, saying this would be prone to abuse and could be used against legitimate criticism and dissent.
During the pandemic, a provision penalizing "false information" led to arrests for satirical posts and for complaints about COVID-19 response. Even without the COVID-19 emergency law, libel and cyber libel remain and can and has been similarly used.
During the pandemic, a provision penalizing "false information" led to arrests for satirical posts and for complaints about COVID-19 response. Even without the COVID-19 emergency law, libel and cyber libel remain and can and has been similarly used.
Even without the threat of criminal proceedings, government proposals to be an arbiter of truth bring to mind past campaigns like the #RealNumbersPH data releases in the early days of the bloody drug war and government "truth-tagging" against progressives and activists.
Even without the threat of criminal proceedings, government proposals to be an arbiter of truth bring to mind past campaigns like the #RealNumbersPH data releases in the early days of the bloody drug war and government "truth-tagging" against progressives and activists.
Attempts to counter disinformation in the Philippines, writes Nanyang Technological University researcher Jose Miguelito Enriquez, will need to address low digital literacy among Filipinos as well as "the nature of disinformation operations in the country — a profitable, well-entrenched enterprise with links to political barons who seek their services."
Attempts to counter disinformation in the Philippines, writes Nanyang Technological University researcher Jose Miguelito Enriquez, will need to address low digital literacy among Filipinos as well as "the nature of disinformation operations in the country — a profitable, well-entrenched enterprise with links to political barons who seek their services."
The House hearings have so far focused on individual content creators and not, as disinformation researchers have been suggesting for years, the networks that craft and spread that content.
The House hearings have so far focused on individual content creators and not, as disinformation researchers have been suggesting for years, the networks that craft and spread that content.
COALITIONS
Enriquez said it would be best for government and civil society to work together against disinformation by combining resources and expertise.
Enriquez said it would be best for government and civil society to work together against disinformation by combining resources and expertise.
Apart from shoring up gaps in capacity, "coalition-building [would also lend] counter-disinformation operations public credibility by settling lingering doubts about a government-only approach," he says.
Apart from shoring up gaps in capacity, "coalition-building [would also lend] counter-disinformation operations public credibility by settling lingering doubts about a government-only approach," he says.
There have been attempts at that around less contentious issues like investment and confidence scams.
There have been attempts at that around less contentious issues like investment and confidence scams.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, which has been working on helping the public be more critical of these cyber scams, has also announced more collaboration with civil society to address deepfakes, the newest tech-assisted form of disinformation.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, which has been working on helping the public be more critical of these cyber scams, has also announced more collaboration with civil society to address deepfakes, the newest tech-assisted form of disinformation.
"Hindi na ho natin isi-centralize ang pag-decide whether it’s deepfake or not, we would like to have a community standard for this, independent fact-checking na ibibigay natin sa civil society," CICC Undersecretary Alex Ramos said of efforts that will include a planned National Deepfake Task Force.
"Hindi na ho natin isi-centralize ang pag-decide whether it’s deepfake or not, we would like to have a community standard for this, independent fact-checking na ibibigay natin sa civil society," CICC Undersecretary Alex Ramos said of efforts that will include a planned National Deepfake Task Force.
(We will no longer centralize deciding on whether something is a deepfake or nor, we would like to have a community standard for this, independent fact-checking that will come from civil society)
(We will no longer centralize deciding on whether something is a deepfake or nor, we would like to have a community standard for this, independent fact-checking that will come from civil society)
With Facebook parent Meta winding down support for fact-checking services on its platforms, that kind of collaboration may be the middle ground between the free speech absolutism preferred by tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk and strict government regulation in Southeast Asia, where the internet, according to US think tank Freedom House, is only partly free.
With Facebook parent Meta winding down support for fact-checking services on its platforms, that kind of collaboration may be the middle ground between the free speech absolutism preferred by tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk and strict government regulation in Southeast Asia, where the internet, according to US think tank Freedom House, is only partly free.
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