Vloggers may face sedition, defamation raps - NBI

Vloggers may face legal consequences if they issue statements that incite sedition or "excessively" defame people without basis, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago said yesterday.

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"I want to remind the public, especially vloggers, that our right to freedom of expression is not absolute. It has limitations," Santiago said in Filipino. "If you are inciting to sedition or engaging in excessive defamation without any basis, we can investigate and file charges."

He also said people whose private online conversations are leaked to the public may file cybercrime complaints.

Posting screenshots of private messages on social media to defame someone can be a ground for a cybercrime complaint, falling under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which can be filed with the NBI Cybercrime Division or the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, he said.

"It depends on the affected individual whose private conversations," were made public if they want to hold accountable those who posted their private messages. It’s up to them, and they can file complaints,” Santiago said in an interview over dzBB.

Santiago said the NBI conducted multiple operations related to unauthorized posting of private messages, including those involving disputes over debts.