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MANILA, Philippines – Days after Facebook removed more than 100 bogus accounts that were traced to police and military units in the Philippines for engaging in “coordinated inauthentic behavior,” the Human Rights Commission (CHR) vowed to prosecute those responsible for the crimes. accounts. if the “malicious” online activity is shown to be state sponsored.
CHR Commissioner Karen Gomez Dumpit called the alleged links of the deleted Facebook accounts to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police “alarming,” adding that if this activity is proven to be true, it will against the best interests of the public.
“In this day and age when cyber militias and troll farms are reported to stifle legitimate dissent and randomly label individuals and organizations as ‘enemies of the people’, such accusations cast doubt on the agenda of these institutions,” he said. Dumpit in a statement.
Facebook’s research shows the need for lawmakers in the country to create laws against those who “systematically provide disinformation” while balancing it with people’s right to free speech.
“If such malicious activity is shown to be state sponsored propaganda, the CHR is committed to holding the perpetrators accountable as they are violations of civil and political rights,” he added.
In an online press conference, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s chief of cybersecurity policy, said that most of the content on the fake accounts, which were run by people affiliated with various law enforcement and military agencies, revolved around criticism of the opposition, activism and communism.
Gleicher said the national network consisted of about 57 Facebook accounts, 31 pages, and 20 Instagram accounts.
The CHR welcomed Facebook’s decision to crack down on these fake account networks and said that disinformation is a human rights problem that damages society and a weapon against democracy and freedom of expression.
“According to human rights laws, everyone has the right to receive and impart information. This presupposes correct and accurate information, ”said Dumpit.
“Freedom of expression is also not an unlimited right and could be restricted to respect the rights or reputations of others and for the protection of national security, public order, public health or morals,” he added.
While the CHR welcomed the development, Dumpit said Facebook’s policies should be grounded in human rights, in this case the right to receive and impart information and the right to freedom of expression.
“We remind Facebook that corporations and businesses have a moral responsibility to respect, protect and remedy violations of rights under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,” said Dumpit.
“The bottom line of social media shouldn’t just be profit and money. It should also be the true and genuine connection of people to each other, ”she added.
/ MUF
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