By Mario Casayuran
Opposition Senator Francis ‘’Kiko’’ N. Pangilinan warned that dummy accounts in the social media might be used to compromise innocent persons.
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan (via kikopangilinan.com / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Pangilinan issued the warning as dummy Facebook accounts appeared to be targeting students, activists, and journalists and could be used to plant evidence against real personalities critical of the administration.
“We must not allow social media to be used as a platform for identity theft, intimidation, or worse, a tool to plant bogus evidence,” he added.
Pangilinan said that a scheme to create multiple fake Facebook accounts targeting those who oppose the Anti-Terror Bill (ATB), especially college students, was discovered yesterday (June 7).
He said five new fake “Kiko Pangilinan” accounts have been created, although they appear to be incomplete as yet.
Similarly, the other fake accounts bear the names of students from many universities, including the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).
It has also been reported that usernames and passwords that UP students used for their Student Academic Information System was leaked online, Pangilinan said.
“We demand that Facebook investigate this incident and find the culprits behind it. We must not allow social media to be used as a platform for identity theft, intimidation, or worse a tool to plant bogus evidence,” he stressed.
“Facebook has been making billions of dollars as it turns a blind eye on disinformation and deception. Fake Facebook accounts can be likened to a crime scene and Facebook a willing accomplice to the crime. This must stop,” he added.