Anti-fake news bill seeks up to 12-year jail time, P2M fine

MANILA, Philippines — A fresh legislative push to tackle disinformation has emerged in the House, with a bill targeting not only the creation and spread of false content but also the organized networks behind them.

- Dominique Nicole Flores/Philstar.com

The catch, however, is that this proposal, much like eight others in the 19th Congress, takes a punitive approach to disinformation by expanding the Cybercrime Prevention Act's scope.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro, 2nd District) filed House Bill No. 11506, or the Anti-Fake News and Disinformation Act, on May 26. It is the third standalone measure of its kind that departs from amending the existing cybercrime law.

It proposes penalties of up to 12 years in prison and fines between P500,000 and P2 million for those involved in disinformation efforts, including troll farm operations.

If eight other bills propose similar penalties, what makes Rodriguez's version different?

DISINFORMATION DEFINED

His bill broadens the definition of “fake news,” framing it not just around deception but also around its impact, such as “sowing confusion, inciting hate or violence, or disrupting public order.”

“Fake news” has become a catch-all phrase, but technically, it’s a misnomer as news by definition is factual. Scholars instead use the term disinformation for the deliberate spread of false content.