DICT: Philippines needs law vs deepfakes, disinformation

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines needs a comprehensive law to combat deepfakes and disinformation on social media, according to the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT).

“We need to have a more comprehensive law rather than bits and pieces of legislation that address small items or specific items,” DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said yesterday.

Uy warned that deepfakes will be utilized during the May 2025 midterm elections.

He said there is a proliferation of deepfakes in the United States, which will hold its presidential elections in November.

A deepfake video of President Marcos allegedly using illegal drugs recently circulated on social media.

In April, an audio deepfake of Marcos supposedly ordered the military to act against a particular foreign country.

Investigations are ongoing amid deepfakes targeting celebrities and public officials, Uy said.

Other countries such as Malaysia and Singapore have tried to address this problem, he noted.

“Malaysia has just come up with a law requiring social media platforms that have a following of more than eight million to get a license or a permit,” Uy said.

He lamented that many social media firms do not have offices in the Philippines.

– With Rainier Allan Ronda