Bill to criminalize spread of fake news, troll farms filed by PH lawmaker
The path taken by social media from a platform for personal interaction to a significant news source is sort of sensational. Initially, social media sites like Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram were designed to connect people with friends and family. However, as these platforms grew, so did their potential to disseminate information quickly and efficiently. Now, challenges and concerns have emerged such as misinformation. Social media is prone to the rapid spread of false information, making it crucial for users to verify the accuracy of what they read.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez has filed a bill criminalizing the spread of false information, especially those that threaten public order or national security. Rodriguez recognized that in filing the House Bill No. 11506, the right to freedom of speech, press, and expression is protected as it was enshrined under the Section 4, Article III of the 1987 Constitution. Rodriguez filed the bill in early June 2025.
However, Rodriguez noted that the rights are not absolute under a Supreme Court ruling, emphasizing that “[c]ertain categories of speech – such as obscenity, defamation, incitement to violence, false advertising, and speech that poses a clear and present danger to public order or national security – are not entitled to constitutional protection.”
The lawmaker underscored that as the bill criminalizes false information that puts public order and national security at risk, it is crafted to “withstand constitutional scrutiny by defining fake news [precisely] requiring proof of both malicious intent and actual or probable public harm.”
He also said that existing measures such as the Revised Penal Code and Cybercrime Prevention Act are not enough to address the impact of the dissemination of malicious information, particularly in the digital spaces, throughout the years.
Under the bill, the following acts are prohibited:
1. Malicious publication or dissemination, in any platform including print, broadcast, digital, and social media, any false information or disinformation.
2. Dissemination of false information that triggers violence, promotes hate speech, discredits democratic institutions, and causes public panic.
3. Operating troll farms, bot networks that target to spread false information.
4. Using social media platforms to engage in hate, violence, and promotion of hate speech.
Any person who will be found guilty of the prohibited acts will face imprisonment of six years to 12 years and a fine of P500,000 to P2 million.
Reference: Rufus Rodriguez files bill to criminalize spread of false information
