By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Muntinlupa lone district Rep. Rozzano Rufino "Ruffy" Biazon said on Wednesday that he will ask social media platform Facebook to "purge" its database of multiple and fake accounts to address the security and privacy concerns of its users.
Muntinlupa City Rep. Rozzano Rufino "Ruffy" Biazon (Congressman Ruffy Biazon / FACEBOOK)
"As an offshoot of the concern that was recently brought about by clone accounts, I'm looking at mechanisms on how a person could take measures to ensure that his identity or persona will not be cloned in these social media platforms or other means for those social media platforms to purge their database of these cloned accounts," Biazon said in a text message to the Manila Bulletin.
"I was just thinking of bringing it up in the hearing of the resolution I filed," the senior vice chairman of the House Committee on National Defense and Security said.
Last June 9, Biazon filed House Resolution No. 968 seeking a congressional probe on the proliferation of bogus Facebook accounts.
"It hasn't been referred to a committee yet, but I'm assuming it will go to the Committee on Information and Communications Technology," Biazon said.
In an interview over DZBB, he cited the need for Congress to come up with a measure that will address the sudden emergence of fake Facebook accounts.
He said there is an urgency to look into the proliferation of bogus Facebook accounts, saying that it can be used to perpetuate crimes against individuals or groups.
He said the multiple bogus accounts can be used to spread false information as well as "propaganda with sinister purpose."
The House leader said he wants to know from Facebook if it has put in place a system wherein its users will be protected from possible identity theft, online harassment, and other crimes in the wake of sudden emergence of multiple fake accounts.
Biazon said he cannot say yet if Facebook has liability over the proliferation of bogus social media accounts.
He asked Facebook to explain the "peculiar instance" wherein the accounts of those with unique names like him were cloned, as well as the sudden spike in fake accounts.
"Kailangan muna marinig ang paliwanag nila. Tapos kailangan nating malaman kung ano ang puwedeng gawin para mapigilan ang ganitong instance lalo na 'yung kapangalan yung nag-assume ng identity mo," Biazon said. (We need to hear first their explanation. Then, we need to know the measures which we can do to stop this, especially when someone has assumed your identity.)
Under HR 968, Biazon is seeking the creation of a joint task force that will look into the matter, citing that the "new normal will increase reliance on social media platforms."
The joint task force shall include the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, the National Privacy Commission, and other related agencies.