Amid the widespread use of online troll farms and disinformation campaigns in recent elections, a new bill filed in the House of Representatives seeks to address the growing threat to the integrity of the nation’s democracy.
House Bill No. 11178, also known as the Anti-Troll Farm and Election Disinformation Act, filed by Representatives Margarita Nograles-Almario (PBA Party-list) and Cheeno Miguel Almario (Davao Oriental, 2nd District), introduces stringent penalties for those behind these operations and places responsibility on online platforms to monitor and remove harmful content.
“Troll farms are not just digital pranks—they are systematic tools designed to deceive voters and distort democracy. This bill is our commitment to ensuring that the voice of the Filipino people remains genuine and untainted by lies,” said Nograles-Almario.
HB 11178 outlines stringent penalties for offenders, including up to 12 years in prison and fines ranging from P500,000 to P10 million.
Under the bill, political candidates who knowingly benefit from disinformation would be disqualified from running.
The bill also holds social media platforms accountable, requiring them to remove disinformation or face significant fines.
Additionally, the bill empowers the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to collaborate with agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate and monitor these activities.
Furthermore, the bill mandates educational campaigns led by the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to foster critical thinking and voter awareness online.
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