The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will release its guidelines in addressing campaign-related misinformation and disinformation on social media, including the so-called “deepfakes” or audiovisual materials produced using artificial intelligence (AI), as early as next week.
At the House Committee on Appropriations hearing on its proposed 2025 budget on Tuesday, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the poll body is ready to publish its “historic resolution” versus false information or ‘fake news’ soon.
“We will release as early as next week our guidelines on social media, guidelines on AI, guidelines on deepfakes including misinformation/disinformation,” Garcia told House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro.
“This is a historic resolution because it’s never been done before—this kind of resolution—but we will attempt to do that simply because we don’t have laws that regulate social media,” the Comelec chief noted.
Castro inquired about the status of Comelec’s investigation into some of the fake news that circulated during the last poll exercise, specifically the one that targeted members of the Makabayan bloc.
She referred to a digitally manipulated resolution, falsely bearing the signatures of Comelec officials, that allegedly disqualified some progressive lawmakers from running in the 2022 elections.
Garcia said he will provide updates on the matter. He firmly denied that the Comelec issued any such resolution and clarified that all Makabayan bloc members remain eligible to seek re-election.
“They (Makabayan lawmakers) are all qualified to run in the coming elections,” he affirmed.
The Comelec chief acknowledged the prevalence of political misinformation and disinformation on social media, anticipating it will worsen as the 2025 national and local elections approach.
“That’s why it is essential for Comelec to establish guidelines and enforce sanctions for these violations on social media,” Garcia stated.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Comelec says guidelines to combat disinformation, deepfakes out by next week.”
