ILOILO CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Western Visayas called on political aspirants for the 2025 elections to register all their social media accounts as part of efforts to monitor election propaganda and curb the spread of misinformation online.
“This is our first attempt to regulate social media as it relates to campaigning. Previously, our regulations focused only on mainstream media—print and broadcast—which are well-established, but there were no laws governing social media,” said Comelec regional director Dennis Ausan.
This new regulation follows Comelec Resolution No. 11064, which provides guidelines on the use of social media, artificial intelligence, and internet technology for campaign purposes during the upcoming election period.
Ausan, a lawyer, said that unlike previous years when Comelec’s monitoring centered on broadcast and print platforms, this is the first election cycle where social media will be included under formal regulation.
While Comelec does not intend to intervene in the content of Facebook posts to avoid infringing on freedom of expression, Ausan clarified that their focus will be on preventing the spread of false information.
Political aspirants have 30 days to register their social media accounts. In preparation, Comelec is expanding its information, education, and communications campaign to ensure candidates understand the new regulations.
