By Gabriela Baron
Empty, duplicate, and fake accounts of University of the Philippines (UP) students and alumni have surfaced on Facebook, according to Tug-ani, UP Cebu's official student publication.
They reported that they noticed duplicate accounts of activists arrested at an anti-terrorism bill protest on Friday (June 5).
"Dozens of empty duplicate accounts bearing active usernames of UP Cebu students surface tonight. Victims speculate that this might involve identity theft or targeted attacks against UP students," Tug-ani wrote on Facebook.
However, the problem is not limited to UP students only. Other Facebook users from the Philippines have also reported similar cases.
"Turns out, the issue is not only limited to UP Cebu. Other persons from Cebu and around the country also found recently made duplicate accounts of their profiles," it added.
The UP Office of the Student Regent cautioned Facebook users to not panic and report suspicious accounts instead.
"We express our utmost alarm since these accounts are suspected to cause harm or spread false information. It would be best if we all stay informed and vigilant," it said.
"We are hoping that this is a glitch in the system only and can be resolved as soon as possible. However, let it be clear that we will not tolerate any misleading content posted on any account that will endanger out students."
Report fake accounts
Accounts pretending to be someone you know or someone who doesn't exist can be reported, according to Facebook.
- Go to the profile of the fake account
- Click on the three dots under the cover photo and select "Find Support or Report Profile."
- Follow the on-screen instructions for fake accounts to file a report.