Solon to police, military: No holds barred in fight vs ‘keyboard terrorists’

From the Business Mirror (Aug 23): Solon to police, military: No holds barred in fight vs ‘keyboard terrorists’

The chairman of the House Committee on Public Information is urging the military and the police to strengthen their partnership with the digital industry to curb “keyboard propagandists” advocating terrorism.

Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy of Bagong Henerayson said the government has so far taken down 60 social-media accounts, with the help of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Unit and social-media companies, it deemed facilitating or supporting terrorism.

“In this age of technology where anybody can access the Internet anytime and anywhere, it is also our responsibility, particularly to the young generation, to deny terrorists any social-media platform to spread their cause,” she added in a news statement issued on Wednesday.

Dy has already filed House Bill 1378 seeking to establish Magna Carta for Philippine Internet Freedom, cybercrime prevention and law enforcement, cyber defense and national cybersecurity.

As the country moves to provide wider access to Internet through its free Wi-fi to public places, Dy said it was important to tighten the monitoring of social-media accounts promoting extremist propaganda, but without impeding the rights of the people.

According to the lawmaker, the Armed Forces (AFP) has reported that it was closely monitoring about 300 accounts on various social-media platforms spreading terrorist propaganda.

“We laud the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law-enforcement agencies for their vigilance in monitoring social-media accounts that espouse terrorism and terrorist activities,” Dy said.

“However, I feel we should do more in order to protect this public space that’s accessible to many, including children. We should not only guard the citizenry against the misuse of social-media platforms to forward terrorism, but also to the kind of information that is available out there,” she said.

Earlier, the Department of Information and Communications Technology has warned in June that those who take part in spreading terrorist propaganda online could face arrest for “cyber rebellion” or “cyber sedition”.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/solon-to-police-military-no-holds-barred-in-fight-vs-keyboard-terrorists/