House leaders warn fake social media accounts threaten democracy

House leaders expressed concern over fake social media accounts praising former President Rodrigo Duterte following his arrest, citing it as a serious threat to Philippine democracy ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.

Reuters reported that one-third of X accounts discussing Duterte's case were likely fake, according to research from disinformation watchdog Cyabra, with up to 45 percent of online conversations about the upcoming elections driven by bots and paid influencers.

Deputy Speaker David Suarez warned that the use of disinformation to mislead voters is a dangerous threat to the country's democratic system, urging platforms like Meta, X, and YouTube to swiftly remove coordinated fake accounts.

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. called for a national digital literacy campaign led by educational institutions to help both students and the general public spot online manipulation and resist disinformation.

Gonzales challenged political parties to reject the use of digital 'click armies' and paid online influencers, emphasizing that disinformation is not a campaign strategy but a threat to free elections and informed choice.