40 social media personalities invited to House fake news probe
Metro Manila, Philippines - Forty social media personalities have been invited to attend the House tri-committee’s first inquiry on fake news on Feb. 4.
The personalities are known for engaging in political discourse, news analysis, and commentary in various social media platforms. Among them are former Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, former anti-insurgency task force spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, and political vloggers Sass Rogando Sasot and Banat By.
The tri-committee will delve into how disinformation proliferates in the digital space and how it affects public perception and national security.
“Ang mga Pilipino ay may karapatan sa katotohanan. Dapat protektahan natin ang ating mga kababayan laban sa maling impormasyong nagdudulot ng takot at pagkakawatak-watak sa ating lipunan,” Santa Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, who will preside the probe, said on Sunday, Feb. 2.
[Translation: Filipinos have a right to truth. We have to protect our fellow Filipinos against false information that causes fear and divisiveness in our society.]
Lawmakers will explore measures that seek to improve accountability, penalize repeat offenders, and boost digital literacy programs.
“Hindi natin hahayaang gamitin ang social media upang linlangin ang ating mga kababayan. Panahon na upang maipatupad ang mas mahigpit na batas upang labanan ang fake news at disinformation,” he said.
[Translation: We will not let social media confuse our fellow Filipinos. It is time to implement a stricter law to fight fake news and disinformation.]
Representatives from Google, Meta, and ByteDance are also expected to shed light on the issue during the hearing.
National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and the Department of Justice officials will also tackle hurdles in regulation and enforcement mechanisms against online fake news.
The committees on public order and safety; public information; and information and communications technology will conduct the probe.
