RA 10951; The Cure for the Fake News Cancer

By: CARREON, Keneth and PARROCHA, Zirak

In the Digital Age, the emergence of modern technology has caused traditional news
reporting in broadsheet and broadcast media to be replaced with news in the internet, specifically
social media sites. As a matter of fact, even newspaper and broadcast companies already make use
of social media to have an easier reach to their audience. This medium reaches more people
because they spend more time in the internet, than on the television and print. It is true that the
internet contains data on almost everything. However, the downside of it, is that not all of them
are legitimate, which makes it unreliable. The spread of information is fast paced and if people do
not scrutinize enough, they might just be receiving fake news.

In the Philippine setting, fake news has emerged during the 2016 national elections. There
were fake accounts reported to have been used to spread false information. Fake news changes the
perspective of people and may put someone’s reputation at stake. It may confuse the people about
the truth and may influence the people’s decision-making on serious matters, such as who to vote
for in the elections. Fake news shapes public opinion and affects the whole country and its
government. The spread of it leads to the division among the people, which is why this issue is to
be addressed seriously.

In the 21st of June 2017, Senator Joel Villanueva has introduced Senate Bill No. 1492 or
commonly known as the Bill of the Anti-Fake News. The objective of this bill is to penalize anyone
who maliciously suggests, publishes and spreads wrong information through print, broadcast
media and most especially in the internet. On the 29th of August 2017, the said bill was approved
by law by President Rodrigo Duterte as Republic Act (RA) 10951.

In times when technological advancement seems to work against humanity- where a single
fake news could spread as fast as light that could possible ruin someone’s dignity and life, this law
is very important to protect people from the destruction brought by fake news in social media
platforms.
 This law is very timely and significant because of 3 main reason. First, it protects citizens
from fake news that could destroy their dignity, reputation and life. Secondly, it held the social
media corporations liable of this fake news which helps them to be more responsible in imposing
rules and regulations to combat the problem of fake news, and lastly, it teaches the netizens to be
more careful and responsible whatever they are spreading in the virtual world.

Under this Act, fake news that leads to chaos, violence, and propaganda to destroy a
person’s reputation, is covered. Additionally, the person proven guilty of the actions mentioned
previously, should be aware that the information is false. This bill recommends a fine of range one
hundred thousand pesos to five million pesos and imprisonment for one to five years, as
punishment for the person guilty of doing these acts. If ever the suspect is a public official, heavier
penalties will be imposed. This provision of this law protects people from being publicly shamed
and being a victim of fake news in social media sites because those person who are liable for it
faces the serious penalties.

Let’s look back at the case of Paula Jamie Salvosa who was the main talk of social media
in 2012 after she was caught on video shouting at a security guard at a train station. Known to be
‘Amalayer Girl’ because of repeatedly saying ‘I’m a lier?’ was one of the victim of fake news
spread all over the social media world. After the incident that terrible changed her life, a lot of fake
social media accounts were created that released fake news that even tainted her image more in
the eyes of the people. These fake news brought nightmare to her and seriously ruined her
reputation and dignity as a person. She experienced to be bullied, declined of social privileges like
riding a public vehicle, received death threats and even after her graduation, employers
immediately refuse to hire her because of these news about her despite her excellent performance
and tests results. This proves that fake news aren’t just a fabricated news circulating in social media
platforms, these causes serious injury in the life of the victims and this is what this law is all about-
to protect the people from the harmful effects of fake news emerging in social media sites boosted
by scientific and technological advancement.

Furthermore, the Anti-Fake News Act suggests punishment to any media company or
social media site that dismisses or declines to remove fake news during a reasonable span of time,
after knowing about its falsity. In this case, an enterprise that violates this will receive a fine
ranging from ten million pesos to twenty million pesos. They will also be sent to prison for ten to
twenty years. This law will help the citizens of the Philippines, especially those in the media, to
be more responsible and careful in writing, publishing or spreading news. In line with this,
Facebook just recently shut down 95 pages and 39 accounts that violated their policies in
authenticity and promotes fake news that terrible caused problem in the stream of our society
which proved that this law leads to improvements in our battle against the cancer of fake news.

To conclude all the things mentioned above, Martin Heidegger once said that science and
technology isn’t an evil thing in nature, it’s how people use it for their personal interests that makes
it seems to be destructive. Social media platforms, as a result of scientific and technological
advancement, undeniable improved our way of living by bringing us closer to the world and served
as an avenue for news and other information that is accessible for everyone. But along with the
improvement of these platforms, compromised quality of circulating news due to the emergence
of fake news exist. News is one of the vital body that connects government to the society and fake
news is the cancer that kills it when kept uncut. Thus, the Anti-Fake News Act is really a weapon
for our society to protect people from possible destruction of emerging technological advancement.

References

Lim, F. (2018). Combating fake news. Retrieved from Inquirer:

https://business.inquirer.net/243489/combating-fake-news
Villanueva, J. (2017). Bill of the Anti-Fake News Act of 2017. Retrieved from ASEAN Lip:
https://www.aseanlip.com/philippines/ip/legislation/bill-of-the-antifake-news-act-of-
2017/AL18286