Is this good or bad?

President Duterte recently vetoed Senate Bill No. 2395 and House Bill 5793 or the mandatory registration of all SIM cards and social media accounts. According to the Palace, the law may violate the rights of the people, particularly privacy, and free speech, and make surveillance much easier. The Makabayan Bloc of Congress agreed because too much information is being asked for by the government.

On the other hand, some senators were disappointed with Duterte's veto of the said law. If users of SIM cards such as prepaid accounts and social media accounts remain anonymous, troll farms, fake news, scams, blackmail, hate, threats, and other activities done behind anonymity will continue. There is still time for Congress and the Senate to oppose Duterte's veto based on the number of votes in each house. They should be able to do that because they passed the law in the first place.

So, is the veto good or bad for citizens? I have been a victim of trolls, hate, and fake news. Anonymity has emboldened these people to voice ridiculous opinions, false statements, and even threats against me and my family. Even if a complaint or lawsuit is filed, the source cannot be immediately determined. If accounts are registered, it would be easier to identify, and easier to prosecute and imprison these people if found guilty. According to Sen. Drilon, all fake news, scams, and other nefarious activities are done behind anonymity will continue because of Duterte's veto.

I understand the apprehension of those claiming the law could be abused because of the information available to the government, particularly security forces. But the government is also promoting the National ID where a lot of information is also being asked. So why veto Senate Bill No. 2395 and House Bill 5793? Fake news, trolls, and hate are getting worse. These cybercriminals hide behind their gadgets or computers. Numerous scams targeting the vulnerable and naive are committed through social media. If there are contentious provisions in the said law some legislators do not agree with, remedy them so the law can be passed by Congress and Senate, and if they are able, oppose Duterte's veto. The goal is to expose all trolls, scammers, and those who spread fake news and hate. The internet has become both a boon and a bane to society that may be spiraling out of control. Laws should favor the people and nobody else. If these cybercrimes are being propagated behind anonymity, it is time to expose them all.