By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Acknowledging the Pulse Asia survey that bared 86% of Filipinos believe that fake news is a problem in the country, Davao City Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap have jointly filed a bill seeking to penalize online platforms that ostensibly spread fake news.
Jointly authored by Duterte and Yap, House Bill 9422 said that any online platform, such as websites, using a computer system or other electronic medium that fails to act or conduct an investigation on reports of fake news within their respective platforms shall be held liable for a fine of P2 million.
“Given the potential hazards of spreading fake news, it is imperative to penalize those who seek to create and disseminate fake news, most especially through the use of social media,” Duterte and Yap said.
In their explanatory note of HB 9422, they cited the Pulse Asia survey in 2022 that claimed 86% of Filipinos believe that fake news is a problem in the country.
Under the measure, fake news refers to any information, story, news, or fact deliberately distorted, altered, changed, or manipulated by any person with malicious intent which is presented as a fact, the veracity of which cannot be confirmed, with the intent of distorting a fact or proliferating false information and misleading its audience.
If passed, it will amend the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10175).
(IAmigo/MNM)