Must Read: Sen. Pangilinan wants Facebook penalized for inaction on the spread of fake news
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan wants to penalize Facebook for fake news items that are propagated in social media, in order to stop the alarming spread of misinformation.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Senate Resolution (PSR) 271 was filed.
“The propagation of fake news stories has become an effective weapon of several political operatives to influence public opinion and national discourse. As a result, the level and quality of public discourse have suffered. Discerning the truth from the lies has become more difficult every day as manipulation of information and blatant fabrication of stories have become increasingly rampant.”, the new Liberal Party president stated.
Pangilinan asked the Senate to administer a probe on the proliferation of misinformation and fake news sites on social media platforms, especially on Facebook.
“In this digital age, Facebook and other social media platforms play a crucial role in the practice of democracy. More than being an online platform, Facebook may be described as a de facto media company or publisher that should be responsible and accountable for the content it distributes and allows to be distributed, in order to protect the national discourse from fabricated and false news,” he added.
Pangilinan also pointed out the Constitutional provision recognizing the important role of communication and information in nation building in Article II, Section 24.
He said, “There is a need to look at the systems that protect the freedoms accorded to all Filipinos by our Constitution, especially where those freedoms are being undermined by a surge in social media abuse through the propagation of falsehoods, defamation, character assassination, and national security threats. It is therefore in the interest of the State to protect the integrity of cyberspace so that it will become a tool for development, and not a tool for sowing dissent and virulent tribalism.”
“Some are now considering social media as the fifth pillar of a democratic republic, as it plays a crucial role in the participation of citizens in governance,” Pangilinan said.
“We must also ensure that our people are well-equipped with media literacy skills so that they are able to discern what is factual and what is not,” he added.
The senator also noted how fake news impacted the result of the United States presidential election by outperforming factual news during the last week of the campaign period.
“The conversion of false stories into major news topics in this era of post-truth politics has become problematic not only in the Philippines, but also in other parts of the world.”
In the country, 59.2 million Filipino netizens, with more than 22 million active users engaged on Facebook during the May National Elections in 2016. Criticisms about the role of the internet and the social media increased, due to the rampant spread of fake news sites and misinformation that may affect the netizens’ critical decision-making.
The resolution was inspired by German legislators who stated their intentions to penalize Facebook for every post is not properly moderated within 24 hours.
Philippine Senate Resolution (PSR) attempts to direct the appropriate Senate committee to administer an inquiry in aid of legislation on the proliferation of fake news sites and misinformation in social media platforms, and to possibly amend the 2012 Cybercrime Law, as well as other laws, in accordance with respect for Freedom of Speech and of the press. [source]