Comelec to decide on removing regulation of private social media accounts

12 Nov 2024, 17:57 by Dianne Sampang · INQUIRER.NET

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc will decide this week on the removal of a provision regulating the social media accounts of private individuals as part of the guidelines on digital election campaigns.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said this on Tuesday, emphasizing that the removal of the provision will uphold the freedom of speech and expression of private citizens.

READ: Comelec may repeal rule on socmed accounts registration

“Ang pinapatanggal ko doon ay ‘yung mismong pagpaparehistro at regulation sa [social media accounts ng] private individuals. Naniniwala ako na tama po ‘yung punto na hindi po namin pwedeng maicover ‘yung private individuals,” Garcia said on the sidelines of memorandum of agreement signing of Comelec and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

(What I want removed is the registration and regulation of private individuals’s social media accounts. I believe the point is valid that we cannot cover private individuals.)

“Asahan niyo sa linggong ito, may aksyon ang Commission en banc kung iaapprove ang ating panukala upang kahit paano ay maprotektahan ‘yung constitutional right ng bawat Pilipino sa tinatawag nating freedom of expression and freedom of speech,” Garcia added.

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(Expect action from the Commission en banc this week on whether to approve our proposal, which aims to protect every Filipino’s constitutional right to freedom of expression and speech.)

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This came after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers president Antonio Tinio held a dialogue with Garcia last Tuesday regarding the guidelines on social media regulation as part of the digital election campaigns.

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Garcia previously said that he “would recommend to en banc the amendment of guidelines re: social media.”

The Comelec chief then reiterated that the commission will not intrude on the content that candidates and political parties publish on their social media accounts.

“Tatandaan ng lahat, hinding-hindi papakailamanan ng Comelec ang contents ng bawat ilalabas nila… ‘Wag lang naman ‘yung bastos, o immoral o unethical… Because kapag nag-intrude na ang Comelec sa contents, that will be a violation of the constitutional rights of the freedom of speech,” Garcia noted.

(Let us remember that Comelec will never touch the content they will release… Just don’t release vulgar, immoral, or unethical content… Because if the Comelec intrudes in these types of content, that will be a violation of the constitutional rights of the freedom of speech.)

READ: Socmed accounts registration for 2025 elections ends Dec 13

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The guidelines of the digital election campaign include the use of social media platforms, artificial intelligence, and the internet for the digital campaign, as well as the prohibition and punishment for spreading disinformation and misinformation for the 2025 midterm elections.