SC: PHOTOS, MESSAGES FROM FB MESSENGER ADMISSIBLE AS EVIDENCE The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that photos and messages obtained by private individuals from a Facebook messenger account are admissible as evidence in court. The ruling was based on a 31-page decision by Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez after the conviction…

STARLINK SET TO DELIVER BREAKTHROUGH INTERNET SERVICES TO PH SOON The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) speedily approved SpaceX-Starlink’s requirements that will allow the country to enjoy breakthrough internet services through the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network constellation consisting of over 1,600 satellites. Starlink promises to deliver…

May 2022 scoop: Reaching for inclusivity, leveraging platforms for empowerment and fight vs. disinformation Manifestations of gender-based violence (OGBV) offline and online. Reports of various forms of gender-based violence continued. How responsive are laws in the Philippines? …

The election was “not free and fair”. Séverine De Laveleye, a Belgian parliamentarian, said this as she presented the interim report of the International Observer Mission (IOM) on the May 9 elections. The IOM, which was launched by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines on Feb. 7…

PPCRV FINDS 1.6% MISMATCH IN ELECTION RETURNS The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the private sector partner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported mismatches between the printed election returns (ERs) and those sent to the poll body’s transparency server. Van dela Cruz, the spokesperson for the PPCRV…

DUTERTE VETOES SIM REGISTRATION BILL DUE TO MANDATORY REGISTRATION OF SOCIALMEDIA ACCOUNTS Pres. Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed the proposed Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card Registration Act, Malacañang said on April 15. The provision ordering the mandatory registration of social media accounts prompted Duterte to veto the measure, acting presidential spokesperson…

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc approved the creation of a task force that seeks to crack down on individuals and entities propagating election-related disinformation — specifically against the poll body. Commissioner George Garcia said he will lead “Task Force Kontra Fake News,” with Commissioner Aimee Torrefranca-Neri as vice…

Mandatory SIM card registration poses risks to multiple fundamental human rights. Among others, it will mandate people to register their social media accounts. Most notably, freedom of expression, as well as the protection that anonymity gives to journalists, activists, human rights defenders, whistleblowers, and government critics, will be affected. The…

GenderScoop is a monthly digest on gender & ICT in the Philippines What we gather this month: Manifestations of online gender-based violence (OGBV). Incidence of ICT-facilitated trafficking and gendered disinformation continued.