Dela Rosa wants Senate probe into Facebook removal of networks for 'affecting freedom of expression'
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa filed a resolution calling for a legislative probe into Facebook’s removal several accounts — taken down over “inauthentic behavior” — for supposedly affecting the freedom of expression.
Dela Rosa filed Senate Resolution 531 urging a legislative inquiry into the “censorship taken by Facebook with the end in view of ensuring the protection and non-curtailment of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and of expression.”
“The censorship campaign against child recruitment of the communist terrorist group could hamper the efforts to prevent the spread of violent extremism in the country,” he said.
Naghain ng resolusyon si Sen. Ronald dela Rosa para imbestigahan ng Senado ang "censorship" o pagtanggal ng Facebook sa ilang social media accounts at pages na nakitaan ng "coordinated inauthentic behavior." pic.twitter.com/XGIwa1eogv
— News5 (@News5PH) October 2, 2020
Faceook last week announced that it took down networks of pages, accounts and groups for “coordinated inauthentic behavior.” One of the networks was linked to the military, and the social media network said it “consisted of several clusters of connected activity that relied on fake accounts to evade enforcement, post content, comment and manage Pages.”
Facebook’s Head of Security Policy Nathaniel Gleicher said its investigation found that the network between the taken down accounts posted local news on several issues including the pending anti-terrorism bill, criticism of communism, youth activists and opposition and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
Gleicher also stressed that they focus on behavior rather than content when conducting investigations of this nature.
‘Censorship?’
The senator, who is a former top cop, cited in his resolution the shutdown of “Hands Off our Children” page that he said was put up by parents “who are fighting to protect their children against violent extremism.”
Dela Rosa added that according to Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, chief of staff of the Armed Forces, the page helped raise awareness on the “vulnerability of children” in the hands of communist front organizations, such as Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.”
RELATED: CHR vows to go after military, police if links to taken down Facebook accounts proven true
Dela Rosa also claimed that the social media giant took down acocunts which included content "supportive of [Duterte], ... activities against terrorism; criticism of communisim, youth activist and opposition," but did not remove pages that are “allegedly supporting and promoting the violent activities and ideologies” of CPP-NPA.
“There is an urgent need for the Senate to investigate the censorship done by Facebook considering that it affects not only the peace and order, and security of our country but likewise greatly affects every Filipino’s freedom of expression as guaranteed by no less than the Philippine Constitution,” he said.
The social media giant also earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte who, in a public address on Monday, slammed Facebook and threatened to stop its operations in the country. The Palace later said Duterte only meant he wants to talk with the company.
Dela Rosa in 2019, chair of the Senate panel on public order and dangerous drugs, led the hearing into the supposed disappearance of minors after being recruited by left-leaning groups.
One of the resource persons in the hearing, mother of young activist Alicia Jasper Lucena ran to the Supreme Court and filed a writ of amparo against members of Anakbayan and Rep. Sarah Elago (Kabataan party-list).
The tribunal junked their petition as it held that the Lucena was not missing nor was she being detain against her will. — Kristine Joy Patag with report from News5
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