With the 2025 National and Local Elections gradually approaching, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) told candidates and political parties to have their social media and online accounts registered and they must follow the rules that were recently announced, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
For the newcomers reading this, the heavy use of social media, digital activities and websites is election campaigns of the past several years by candidates and parties or political groups is the new normal here in the Philippines and there is simply no stopping it from further rising. Along the way, fake news, rumors and misleading pieces of information transpired. If these negative elements are left unchecked, it could make election integrity in the Philippines very questionable.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Candidates and political parties that would use internet and social media in campaigning for the 2025 midterm polls have to register their accounts with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In a Sept. 17 resolution made available Wednesday, the poll body said official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms of candidates, and parties intending to participate in the polls and their respective campaign teams that are primarily designed or used to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates should be registered with the Comelec-Education and Information Department (EID).
The registration period will commence within 30 calendar days after the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) or from Nov. 8 to Dec. 13 this year. The filing period of COCs is from Oct. 1 to 8.
The registration form for social media accounts and other online and internet-based campaign platforms may be submitted only by the candidates and their authorized representatives, as well as authorized representatives of registered political parties/ coalitions, and party-list organizations.
The forms should be submitted to the EID, through the official online channels that will be provided by the Comelec.
Prohibited acts – The Comelec also listed acts that would be considered misuse and malicious use of digital technology in campaigning:
– use of “false amplifiers”, such as fake accounts, bots, and astroturf groups filled with fake users to propagate disinformation and misinformation in endorsing or campaigning against a candidate, a political party / coalition, or party-list organizations, or to propagate disinformation, and misinformation targeting the Philippine election system, the Comelec, and electoral processes during the election and campaign period;
– coordinated inauthentic behavior and utilization of hyperactive users for the aforementioned purposes;
– creation and dissemination of deepfakes, cheapfakes, and soft fakes for the aforementioned purposes;
– use of fake and unregistered social media accounts during the election and campaign period for the same purposes;
– creation and dissemination of fake news in furtherance of the aforementioned purposes.
It warned that such acts may constitute as an election offense under Section 261 (z) (11) of the Omnibus Election Code.
Task force – The poll body also created the Task Force sa Katotohanan, Katapatan at Katarungan sa Halalan (Task Force KKK sa Halalan) tasked to oversee the implementation of the guidelines, review of registration forms, validation, approval and endorsement to the Commission en banc.
It is also tasked to monitor registered and unregistered social media and online accounts or websites which are used to endorse or campaign against candidates, political parties/ coalitions, party-list organizations; to issue show cause order, and initial investigation of detected or reported prohibited acts under these guidelines; motu proprio filing of complaints against erring candidates, parties, individuals, and other entities.
The task force will be headed by the chiefs of the poll body’s EID and Law Department as chairperson and co-chairperson, respectively.
Election, campaign period – The Comelec added the election period for the 2025 midterm polls would be from Jan. 12 to June 11, 2025.
The campaign period for those seeking national positions (senator and party-list groups) will start on Feb. 11, 2025 and will run until May 10, 2025.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think all those many rules announced by COMELEC will help reduce, if not prevent, misinformation, fake news and other distortions from impacting the election campaigns and the voters? Do you agree with the COMELEC requiring candidates and political parties to have their digital accounts registered before they could campaign?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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