‘Isko’ vows to tighten noose on social media

SHOULD he win in the presidential election, Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso vows to go after social media platforms that allow the proliferation of false information, fake news and pornography.

In a televised interview, Domagoso said charges should be filed against social media outlets who have done so little to police digital media posts that are malicious and damaging to users, and at times sow confusion because of misinformation and disinformation that threaten the welfare of the general public.

“Social media has become very abusive. Even social media is used as porn site,” said Domagoso.

He said under his administration, social media sites will be required to mandate all users to have their accounts verified, and people will not be able to register an account just by using email addresses or mobile phone numbers.

Domagoso said social media outlets that will not comply will have their IP addresses blocked and will be barred from doing business in the Philippines.

“I will make the DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) go after these corporations,” he declared in Filipino.

Domagoso said it does not matter if Filipinos will not like this policy because this is for the people’s own good.

“This is not Mr. and Ms. Congeniality. Leadership is about protecting your people, protecting your constituents,” he said. “If you do not have bad intentions, if you do not have bad things in mind, you have nothing to worry about.”

The Manila mayor is not new to fake news as he has been victimized numerous times and this escalated in September the previous year after he announced that he was running for president.

One of the most recent attacks against him was the trending of “quote cards” circulating online stating that individuals from the regions in the Visayas and Mindanao will not be able to enter Manila to spare the city from further spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).

Domagoso described this as “fake news,” saying that the city of Manila will not turn away any Filipino, especially in times of need.

“Hinding-hindi po natin ‘yan magagawa sa ating kapwa Pilipino lalo na ngayong panahon na kailangan ng pagmamalasakit sa isa’t isa (We can never do that to our fellow Filipinos, especially in this time when we need to care for each other),” he said.

“Huwag po tayo magpalinlang sa mga fake news na lumalabas ngayon sa social media. Ito po ay gawa-gawa lamang