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Republi: of ue Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NTEENTH (17TH) CONGRESS
First Regula

. 4093

House Bill No.

Introduced by: Rep. ARNOLFO A, TEVES, JR.

AN ACT MANDATING AUTHENTICATION OF
ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA MEMBERSHIPS IN THI]. COUNTRY
‘THROUGH REGISTRATION OF THEIR ACCOUNTS USING ANY VALID
GOVERNME D IDENTIFICATION
AND/OR BARANGAY CERTIFICATE

EXPLANATORY NO’

This bill seeks to require a mandatory authentication process for all social media and
other similar online accounts enjoyed by users in the country. It aims to address cyber
bullying, harassment, online scam, libel and even illicit drug trade and prostitution by
holding individsuis, private and public entities accountable for their online interactions
To verily identities, online social networking services will be obliged to require their
users, whether residens or nor resident, ‘© supply and link their accounts to the valid
identification numbers provicied by the government.

Social media platforms are indispensable tools for disseminating, information especially
those that concern corruption, mismanagenient and the poor quality of service in ditt
levels of government, ‘They have made it tremendously easy to collect information
pertinent to the public interest from individuals. They have also brought together people
from all walks of life and helped them bring into fruition projects that benefit
communities

rent

While the country has greatly benefitted trom this bridging of both public and private
spheres, like any other tool, the social media has been used as a mode to bully and harass
individuals aiid insiivutions, In 2013, a Google Trends report revealed the Philippines was



the fourth highest country in terms of cyberbullying searches. In a 2015 survey by the
Stairway Foundation, Inc,, 60 percent of Filipino children aged 7 to 12 and 80 percent of
teenagers aged 13 to 16 revealed themselves victims of bullying through social media
Furthermore, 30 percent of children aged 7 to 12 and 40 percent of teenagers aged 13 to
16 knew of others being eyberbullied. Sixty percent of children said they could confide to
their parents while only 34 percent of teenagers said they could

The Cyber Crime Act has not curbed cyberbullying and harassment because it is in spirit
libel law extended to the realm of the Internet, The Cyber Crime Act does not address the
issues of traceability and accountability that should be inherent in social media accounts
fiom the point of registration, Hence, it is imperative that the government take measures
to enhance accountability for online interactions and take steps to document wrongdoing,
in the near future. By doing so, Filipinos specifically the youth will enjoy more secure
social networking platforms as well as productive and informative interactions.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought

a
ARNOLFO A, TEVES, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17TH) CONGRESS
rst Regular Session

4093

House Bill No, ~ |

Introduced by: Rep, ARNOLFO A, TEVES, JR.

AN ACT MANDATING THE AUTHENT

ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA M

THROUGH REGISTRATION OF THEIR ACCOUNTS USING ANY VALID
GOVERNME! ED 1D) CATION

AND/OR BARANGAY CERTIFICAT

ATION OF
EMBERSHIPS IN THE COUNTRY

Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in the
Congress assembled:

ECTION L.Short Title.This Act shall be known as “The Online and Social Media
Membership AccountabilityAct.”

CTION 2.Declaration of Policy. The purpose of this Act is to facilitate secure and
accountable interactions, particularly online interactions, between individuals, public
institutions and private entities

To that end, this Act ensures that individuals and participating entities can achieve a high
degree of confidence in an individual's identity by mandating social media networks and
other similar websites to require the authentication of their members’ identities upon
fegistration with the use of their valid identity card or barangay certificate numbers

provided by the government

SECTION 3.£lectronic Identification Requirement, All persons shall be required to
possess any valid identification cards issued by the government andor barangay
certificates issued by barangay authorities.



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People intending to register in social media networks and websitesmay then use their
identification cardor barangay certificatenumbers to verify their online identity

For public and private entities, they may use the identity card or barangay
certificatenumber of a designated employed representative of the company.

To facilitate the verification process, social media networks and other online websites
shall mandate online users availing of their services to input their identity cardor
barangay certificate number as a requirement of the membership registration process

Online users may be allowed to register multiple accounts under the same identity card or
barangay certificate number,

ECTION 4. Penalty Clause.lf a person files a lawsuit against any social media
account, and the social media provider fails to identity and authenticate the account
owner, the social media provider shall be held equally liable of the penalties imposed
herein: (a) P__ in fines or days of community service, or both, for ereating
and using a social media account that is not linked to valid identificationeard or barangay
certificate number provided by the governmentto each individual; (b) P in
fines or _ days in prison, or both, for creating and using a social media account for the
purpose of performing acts of bullying;acts of defamation; libelous and malicious acts:
and trade of illegal drugs, weapons and firearms, whether or not such account is linked to
a valid identificationcard or barangay certificate number provided by the governmentto
each individual

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. If any provision, section or part of this act shall be
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affect, invalidate or impair
any other provisions, sections or parts hereo!

SECTION 6. Repeating Clause, All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations which
are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly

SECTION 7. Effectivity, This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation
whichever comes

Approved,