A HUMAN rights group on Wednesday hit the Department of Information Technology and Communications for its proposed social media registration.
The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) warned about risks to free expression should the DICT approve the issuance of a circular proposing mandatory identity verification for all social media users.
“We were promised safety and accountability under the SIM Act but scams persisted and cybercrime continued unabated. Repeating a policy that has already proven ineffective will not solve online harms,” PAHRA secretary general Edgar Cabalitan said.
He cited such suggestion was already rejected in 2022 due to its threats to fundamental rights.
A mandatory social media registration could only discourage people from speaking out, especially journalists and activists, as well as the ordinary users critical of those in power, at a time when civic space is already narrowing.
“This kind of policy does more to silence voices than to solve online abuse,” Cabalitan said.
He urged the DICT to abandon its proposal and instead pursue evidence-based, rights-respecting solutions that could address online abuse without undermining the freedom of expression, privacy and democratic participation.
