Seven leaders of the House of Representatives yesterday proposed a congressional inquiry into what they described as “rampant posting of false and malicious content in social media platforms, while safeguarding freedom of speech and ensuring digital safety.”
Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. authored the resolution, along with Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David Suarez, Majority
Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano.
The lawmakers suggested that the investigation be conducted jointly by the House committees on public order and safety, information and communications technology, and public information.
The “rapid growth of social media platforms has allowed the dissemination of content that can mislead the public, damage individual reputations, arose trust in institutions, and disrupt public discourse,” the resolution read.
“False and malicious content has also been exploited by unscrupulous individuals to promote scams, cyberbullying and other activities that negatively impact public safety and order,” it stated.
“The balance between ensuring digital safety and protecting constitutional freedoms, particularly freedom of speech and expression, must be maintained, as these are cornerstones of democracy,” the group said.
“There is a pressing need for a collaborative approach among relevant committees to identify gaps in existing laws and recommend measures to combat harmful content while upholding the rights of individuals to participate in free and open discourse,” it added.
The House leaders pointed out that due to the interconnected nature of technological, informational and public safety concerns, it is imperative for the three committees to conduct a joint inquiry in aid of legislation on the impact of false and malicious content in social media.
Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 was enacted “to address the misuse, abuse and exploitation of information and communication technology and to combat content-related offenses such as the deliberate spread of false and malicious information that causes harm to individuals and the public,” it cited.
Gonzales vowed to make the deliberations, findings and recommendations of the joint inquiry available to the public “to promote transparency and foster trust in the process.”
