Deepfakes, coordinated online harassment are public order concerns – PNP
MANILA, Philippines — Deepfakes and coordinated online harassment are now “public order concerns,” the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.
“Existing laws must continuously evolve to keep pace with AI (artificial intelligence)-driven disinformation, coordinated troll operations and deepfake technology,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said in a statement.
“Deepfakes and coordinated online harassment are now serious public order concerns. The PNP treats these as potential threats not only to individuals but also to institutional credibility and national security,” he added.
READ: NBI seeks law vs troll farms, AI deepfakes
Disinformation is false information supposedly deliberately created to deceive readers; while troll operations are organized campaigns to manipulate public opinion, and deepfakes are AI-generated media used to imitate a person’s physical appearance and voice.
The PNP issued the statement after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) urged Congress to pass a law to strengthen law enforcement’s campaigns against disinformation, troll operations, and AI-generated content.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said at the Saturday News Forum last weekend that, through its coordination with social media company Meta, the bureau had taken down more than 2,000 supposedly fake accounts since he took office.
“While current laws provide a basis for action… emerging digital threats require clearer legal tools and faster response mechanisms to protect public order and trust,” Nartatez, meantime, said.
“Current statutes on cybercrime and libel are often not sufficient for large-scale, coordinated, and AI-assisted online operations,” he added.
He further noted that the police force supported closer coordination with partner agencies, particularly the NBI and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Nartatez added that the PNP’s cybercrime prevention units will intensify their monitoring and operations against suspected troll farms and disinformation networks. /gsg /atm
