In a statement on Wednesday, Lanao del Norte Rep. Khalid Dimaporo called for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to prioritize addressing the issue of vote-buying rather than seeking additional powers to regulate candidates’ use of social media in the upcoming elections.
Dimaporo emphasized the importance of focusing on combating vote-buying to ensure honest, peaceful, and orderly elections next year, noting that the Comelec already has the necessary tools at its disposal.
Meanwhile, House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre of party-list Tingog highlighted the need for a delicate balancing act between regulating social media content and upholding freedom of expression. He suggested implementing measures like age restrictions for social media users and verification processes to combat cybercrimes and cyber libel.
Acidre stressed the importance of holding perpetrators of online crimes accountable under existing laws, rather than imposing direct regulations on social media. He also called for government investment in digital technology to promote responsible usage and inform users about potential risks.
Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario of 2nd District Davao Oriental echoed the importance of verifying the authenticity of information, especially in light of the prevalence of fake news and deepfakes – AI-generated content that aims to mislead people by emulating personalities.
Cybersecurity giant Trend Micro recently warned Filipinos about the risks posed by the use of AI in the upcoming elections. Trend Micro global security and risk strategist Shannon Murphy proposed that the Comelec establish rules and regulations on the use of AI in the electoral process.
Almario suggested utilizing measures similar to the SIM Card Registration Act to identify individuals disseminating information on social media platforms. With the 2025 elections approaching, the focus remains on safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and combating misinformation.
