Sotto backs dismantling of troll farms

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III. (Senate PRIB FILE PHOTO)

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday backed calls for Facebook and other social media platforms to crack down on online troll farms in the country, amid reports that these are again being mobilized in preparation for the 2022 national elections.

In an online interview with reporters, Sotto expressed concern over the recent disclosure of Sen. Panfilo Lacson that a government undersecretary was behind the formation of two troll farms for each province, saying these activities stain the image of the political landscape in the country.

“That is really disturbing. These make our politics murky, especially since the information they always spread is untrue,” he said.

Lacson said that one of the challenges that opposition candidates faced in the upcoming elections was dealing with the administration candidates’ alleged troll machinery.

“But hopefully, the people will sift through the rubble, as they would know which are true, and which purely character assassination,” Sotto said.

The Senate leader said the responsibility of controlling troll farms should rest with the companies that owned the social media networks. INQ