Saying the level and quality of public discourse have suffered because of the rapid and massive spread of misinformation online, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said social media giant Facebook should be penalized for every fake news item that it allows to be propagated on its pages.
In Philippine Senate Resolution (PSR) 271 filed on Wednesday, Jan. 18, Pangilinan said: “The propagation of fake news stories has become an effective weapon of several political operatives to influence public opinion and national discourse. Discerning the truth from the lies has become more difficult every day as manipulation of information and blatant fabrication of stories has become increasingly rampant.”
Pangilinan’s resolution was inspired by German legislators who announced their intention to penalize Facebook for every post not properly moderated within 24 hours.
Pangilinan asked the Senate to conduct an inquiry on the proliferation of misinformation and fake news sites on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook.
“In this digital age, Facebook and other social media platforms play a crucial role in the practice of democracy. More than being an online platform, Facebook may be described as a de facto media company or publisher that should be responsible and accountable for the content it distributes and allows to be distributed, in order to protect the national discourse from fabricated and false news,” he said.
“Some are now considering social media as the fifth pillar of a democratic republic, as it plays a crucial role in the participation of citizens in governance,” Pangilinan said. “We must also ensure that our people are well-equipped with media literacy skills so that they are able to discern what is factual and what is not.”
Noting how fake news affected the outcome of the United States presidential election by outperforming real news during the final weeks of the campaign, the senator said: “The conversion of false stories into major news topics in this era of post-truth politics has become problematic not only in the Philippines, but also in other parts of the world.”
In 2016, the Philippines had 59.2 million Internet users, with more than 22 million actively engaged on Facebook during the May national elections. Criticisms have been leveled on the role of the Internet and social media for the rampant spread of misinformation and fake news sites that may have influenced critical decision-making.
PSR 271 seeks to direct the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the proliferation of misinformation and fake news sites in social media platforms and to possibly amend the 2012 Cybercrime Law and other laws, in accordance with respect for freedom of speech and of the press.
