MANILA, Philippines — A proposal to regulate social media use supposedly to counter terrorist activities and plans may have an effect on free speech and is not provided under the anti-terrorism law, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said. CHR said on Tuesday that including restrictions on social media in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the said law may overreach into the constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the people, like the right to express their ideas without being compromised. ADVERTISEMENTAccording to CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia, such measures would only justify the fears of people who voiced displeasure over the said legislation. “[…] The Commission on Human Rights expresses grave concerns over the proposal to include the regulation of social media in the IRR of the aforementioned law. “Furthermore, as there is nothing in the law that allows for the regulation of social media, to push for the inclusion of such questionable provision would go beyond the legislative intent of the law, justifying instead the fears of the people already against the law,” she added.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 04, 2020 12:45 UTC