Robin: Inter-Agency Approach Kailangan vs Fake News

Dahil hindi kaya ng iisang ahensya na labanan ang fake news, kailangan ang inter-agency approach para tiyaking hindi maaabuso ang ating internet at ibang kasangkapan ng impormasyon at komunikasyon.

Iginiit ito ni Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla sa kanyang Senate Resolution 191, na nananawagan din ng imbestigasyon para paigtingin ang Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 at kaakibat na batas.

"The spread of fake news through means such as social media, messaging mobile applications and SMS has considerably widened the social and political divide among Filipinos resulting in confusion, distrust and proliferation of hate speech," ani Padilla sa kanyang resolusyon.

"In the Philippines, no less than the Supreme Court recognizes that 'although freedom of expression enjoys an exalted place in the hierarchy of constitutional rights... the exercise of the right is not absolute for it may be so regulated that it shall not be injurious to the equal enjoyment of others having equal rights, not injurious to the rights of the community or society," dagdag niya.

Ayon sa resolusyon, ang magsasagawa ng imbestigasyon ay ang Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media na pinamumunuan ni Padilla.

Sa paghain ng resolusyon, ipinunto ni Padilla na $78 bilyon ang nawawala sa ekonomiya ng mundo kada taon dahil sa fake news sa "financial, public health and business sector, and also in politics."

Binanggit din niya na ang United Nations Human Rights Council ay nag-adopt ng resolusyon laban sa fake news noong Abril 1, 2022.

"Pursuant to the police power of the State, Congress has the power to enact laws to regulate speech and restrict any form of expression that may convey false information within the bounds of the Constitution in order to curb the spread and abate the ill effects of 'fake news,'" ani Padilla sa kanyang resolusyon.

Iginiit ni Padilla na kailangan ng mga institusyon na labanan ang fake news:

* Sa news industry na isulong ang news literacy at professional journalism

* Sa educational institutions na maging proactive laban sa online propaganda, misinformation at falsehoods

Dagdag ng mambabatas, itinayo ng Department of Information and Communications Technology at ng Philippine National Police ang task force laban sa fake news noong kasagsagan ng Covid pandemic.

Nitong Agosto 2022, inatasan ang PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group para paigtingin ang cyber patrolling laban sa fake news.

Robin Pushes Inter-Agency Approach vs Fake News

Saying no single agency can effectively fight fake news, Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla pushed for an inter-agency approach that will prevent the abuse of our internet and other tools for information and communication.

Padilla stressed this in Senate Resolution 191, which also seeks an investigation in aid of legislation that will enhance the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and related laws.

"The spread of fake news through means such as social media, messaging mobile applications and SMS has considerably widened the social and political divide among Filipinos resulting in confusion, distrust and proliferation of hate speech," Padilla said in his resolution.

"In the Philippines, no less than the Supreme Court recognizes that 'although freedom of expression enjoys an exalted place in the hierarchy of constitutional rights... the exercise of the right is not absolute for it may be so regulated that it shall not be injurious to the equal enjoyment of others having equal rights, not injurious to the rights of the community or society," he added.

The resolution tasks the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media led by Padilla to undertake the legislative inquiry.

In his resolution, Padilla noted $78 billion has been lost to the world economy every year due to fake news in the "financial, public health and business sector, and also in politics."

He also noted the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution against fake news last April 1, 2022.

"Pursuant to the police power of the State, Congress has the power to enact laws to regulate speech and restrict any form of expression that may convey false information within the bounds of the Constitution in order to curb the spread and abate the ill effects of 'fake news,'" Padilla pointed out in his resolution.

Padilla noted several institutions need to do their part against fake news, including:

* The news industry, which needs to promote news literacy and professional journalism * Educational institutions, which need to be proactive against online propaganda, misinformation and falsehoods

Also, Padilla noted the Department of Information and Communications Technology and Philippine National Police set up a task force against fake news during the Covid pandemic.

Only last August, the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group intensified its cyber patrolling against fake news.