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[av_heading heading=’ House bill seeks to fight fake news on mass, social media ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Thursday, October 5, 2017
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MANILA – A bill filed at the House of Representatives seeks to prohibit and penalize the creation and distribution of fake news.
House Bill 6022, or the “Anti-Fake News Act,” is zeroing in on mass and social media in its crackdown on the creation and malicious distribution of false content, and the failure to remove such content.
Suspension of operations and imprisonment come along with fines ranging from hundreds of thousands of pesos to as high as P5 million as penalties.
“This bill proposes to nip the cause of fake news in the bud,” said the author, Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte (Camarines Sur).
“It aims to ensure that the content being published and disseminated by mass media outlets and social media personalities are free from false, misleading or fictitious stories through a clear definition of what fake news is,” he added.
Moreover, the bill also encourages responsible and credible journalism, as well as awareness on the harmful effects of spreading untruths, said Villafuerte.
“Misleading and deceptive news can cause divisiveness, health hazards, security risks, panic, and chaos to this nation, contrary to our constitutionally enshrined principle of adhering to a policy of peace and cooperation,” he said.
Mass media outlets found creating fake news will be slapped with a P1-million fine on first offense; a P2-million fine and a one-week suspension of operations on second offense; and a P5-million fine and a one-month suspension of operations for succeeding offenses.
Any mass media outlet found guilty of disseminating fake news will be fined P500,000 on first offense, and P1 million with a one-week suspension of operations on second offense.
Those that fail or refuse to retract any fake news and issue an erratum shall be slapped with a P500,000 fine or a one-month suspension of operation, or both, the bill said.
Meanwhile, social media users creating fake news will be slapped with the following penalties:
- arresto menor or P100,000 fine, or both, on first offense
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arresto mayor or P300,000 fine, or both, on second offense
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prision correccional or P500,000 fine, or both, for succeeding violations
Any social media user who fails or refuses to retract any fake news and issue an erratum shall be slapped with prision correccional or P300,000 fine, or both, stated the bill./PN
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