House leaders propose probe into fake, malicious social media posts

MANILA, Philippines — A congressional inquiry into the rampant posting of false and malicious content on social media platforms was proposed by seven leaders of the House of Representatives.

In a joint statement on Sunday, Senior Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker Jay-Jay Suarez, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, and Reps. Robert Ace Barbers, Bienvenido Abante Jr., and Joseph Stephen Paduano suggested that the investigation be conducted jointly by the House panels on public order, information and communications technology, and public information.

The congressmen said the rapid growth of social media platforms has allowed the dissemination of content that can mislead the public, damage individual reputations, raise distrust in institutions, and disrupt public discourse.

“False and malicious content has also been exploited by unscrupulous individuals to promote scams, cyberbullying, and other activities that negatively impact public safety and order,” their House Resolution No. 00286 reads

“The balance between ensuring digital safety and protecting constitutional freedoms, particularly freedom of speech and expression, must be maintained, as these are cornerstones of democracy,” it adds.

The lawmakers said there was “a pressing need for a collaborative approach among relevant committees to identify gaps in existing laws and recommend measures to combat harmful content while upholding the rights of individuals to participate in free and open discourse.”

They also pointed out that, due to the interconnected nature of technological, informational, and public safety concerns, the three committees should conduct a joint inquiry in aid of legislation on the impact of false and malicious content on social media.

The proposed inquiry would be guided by the following principles and goals:

• Uphold freedom of speech
• Review existing laws, particularly RA No. 10175, otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012
• Enhance social media platform accountability
• Combat cybercrimes
• Protect digital safety and public trust

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