MANILA – According to an internet monitoring platform, there are about 78 million internet users in the country and 72 million or 92 percent of them have Facebook accounts. “But the question is how many of them have multiple accounts, and are all of them legitimate?” asked Muntinlupa Representative Ruffy Biazon in a live TV-radio interview on Sunday, June 14.
A message posted by Rep. Biazon on his Tweeter account says, “House Bill 968 is calling for an inquiry in aid of legislation into the proliferation of FB clone accounts which may subject persons to fraud, identify theft, breach of privacy, harassment and other unlawful activities.”
Biazon said he was prompted to sponsor this piece of legislation to be clarified on the increasing number of people with multiple and clone accounts. “Hindi ko masasabi na mayroong pananagutan ang FB, baka tutoo naman na may kasabay na pareho ang pangalan at gusto lang na malaman natin kung ano ang ating gawin sa nag-assume ng identity natin,” (I can’t say that FB has accountability because maybe there are the same names but we want to know on what to do for those who assume our identity).
He continued that users have the rights to be protected of their privacy and from abuse to those who are assuming their identity. “May nalaman ako na ang multiple accounts at ginamit upang sirain ang iba lalo na ang mga public officials,” (I know of reports that multiple accounts are used to destroy the reputation of persons, especially public officials.)
Aside from FB, other digital information platforms are invited to the public hearing on the resolution in congress. Also invited are the Department of Information and Communication Technology, National Privacy Commission and other concerned private and government agencies.
Meanwhile, House Representative Mike Defensor has also filed a bill in congress to maximize the use of internet in the new normal and to device measures to safeguard the identity and personal circumstances of users.
