wRONG information and fake reports have become regular fare on social media. The proliferation of such trash is such that on any given day, a regular online browser would encounter at least three to five such fake news or items that need a second look to be taken as truth.
This muddling of the information marketplace is most pronounced during election season, when candidates of all colors and beliefs tangle with each other to gain the upper hand in the surveys and public opinion polls.
Because of the elections, every propaganda, every trick in the media trade, is utilized to achieve the desired end, which is to make one’s candidate win. In this age of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge information technology, the ways to achieve political goals have exponentially multiplied.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) exercises full control and jurisdiction over the use of the internet, physical platforms, print and broadcast media and other means of information dissemination during the election period.
`The task of scouring various social media sites and internet platforms for cases of misinformation, disinformation, deepfake, AI-generated content and other malicious garbage is hard and daunting…’
Recognizing however the scope of the job, the poll body is open to getting partners from other government agencies and private organizations to do its job. Thus, the Comelec has deputized the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) precisely to help it ensure that national laws and Comelec orders are respected by users of media.
DICT Secretary Ivan Uy announced that he has deployed teams to monitor and report disinformation, misinformation, and deepfakes ahead of the 2025 midterm elections. He added that the department would work with the Comelec to either take down misleading content or inform the public about deceptive information.
The task of scouring various social media sites and internet platforms for cases of misinformation, disinformation, deepfake, AI-generated content and other malicious garbage is hard and daunting, but Uy said they will not shirk the responsibility.
The DICT chief also encouraged the public to be vigilant and verify information before sharing it online to curb election-related misinformation.
Uy conceded that it is very difficult “to discern technology, fiction from reality. Sometimes, they say our image is indisputable proof of an event. Now, it’s not anymore.”
He also issued a timely reminder to legitimate news organizations to uphold journalistic integrity and call out misinformation, urging them to police their own ranks and call out those who are misbehaving or not adhering to the ethical and professional standards of journalism.
Last Tuesday, the Comelec and social media platform TikTok signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen efforts against election-related disinformation ahead of the May 2025 polls. This is one way of encouraging the private sector to extend a helping hand in the government’s objective of holding free and democratic elections.
In the runup to the elections, we believe some other private groups will also strike a partnership with the Commission to give similar assistance.
While it is reassuring that the DICT head said they will follow the Comelec’s directives to ensure a truthful information landscape, the fact is they will not always be there to do the policing. The Comelec will still need the private sector, business and civic groups, and concerned citizens to help in conducting an open and fair electoral exercise.
