ALL candidates, political parties, and party-list organizations are required to register all of their online campaign platforms ahead of the start of the campaign period for the May 2025 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced yesterday.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 11064, it is mandatory for candidates, parties and campaign teams to register their digital campaign platforms that will be used to promote their candidates.

“All official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms shall be duly registered,” said the Comelec.

It said online platforms must be registered within 30 calendar days after the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (COCs), or until December 13, 2024.

The Comelec said the application for registration of social media accounts and digital campaign platforms shall be submitted to and evaluated by its Education and Information Department (EID) and will be subject to the approval of the Commission en banc.

The resolution also allowed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by candidates and political parties in their campaign.

However, the poll body said usage of AI technology must be fully disclosed, along with the use of appropriate security features.

“All election propaganda and campaign materials of candidates and political parties that utilize artificial intelligence technology shall be required to disclose the fact of its use, and that appropriate technology is employed to identify its authenticity and legitimate source,” said the Comelec.

For visual media, the poll body said the disclosure must bear a text of disclosure within the campaign material; must be large enough to be easily readable by the average viewer; must be clearly distinguished from other content, with sufficient color contrast between the text and the background; and be enclosed in a printed box or set apart in a manner that visually distinguishes it from other content.

For audio media, the Comelec said they must be spoken in a clear and audible manner and at a volume that can be easily heard by the average listener, and should be stated at the beginning and the end of the audio content.But while AI technology is allowed, the Comelec banned the use of deepfakes and its dissemination.

Deepfakes refer to digitally manipulated images, videos, or audio files created using AI to fabricate realistic representations and falsely making it appear that an action, statement, or event transpired.

“Creation and dissemination of deepfakes, cheap fakes, and soft fakes for the aforementioned purposes (are prohibited),” said the Comelec.

Similarly prohibited are the creation and dissemination of fake news or misinformation, malinformation, or disinformation that are deliberately presented as legitimate news with the intent to deceive, mislead, or manipulate public opinion or voter behavior.

“Creation and dissemination of fake news in furtherance of the aforementioned purposes (is prohibited),” said the Comelec.

TF KKK sa Halalan

To ensure the proper implementation of the Comelec guidelines on online campaigning, the poll body reestablished the “Task Force sa Katotohanan, Katapatan, at Katarungan sa Halalan” (TF KKK sa Halalan).

The Comelec said the task force is mandated to monitor, probe, and file the necessary charges against violators of the guidelines.

“The Comelec shall deputize, or enter into an agreement, with the appropriate law enforcement agencies, and government instrumentalities to assist in monitoring, preventing, and investigating the prohibited acts outlined in these guidelines,” said the Commission.

The task force is authorized to file motu proprio an election offense complaint before the Law Department against those who will violate the guidelines.

It shall also be in charge of requesting concerned technology platform or internet service providers for the takedown of improper content, and the erring social media account, website, or broadcast of the violators.