Thursday, October 4, 2012
Filipino Government Imposes Worst Set of Internet Regulations Ever
Earlier this month President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines signed the Cybercrime Prevention Act, which defines several new acts of “crimes” committed online, including, among others, cybersex, identity theft, harassment, hacking, spamming, and pornography.
While reactionary types may see this as a righteous cause, like all government actions the cover story is nothing like reality, and a slippery slope has been created, which threatens the rights of everyone who is forced to live under this law.
As usual there is personal, political and corporate interests at play here. Sen. Vicente Sotto III is one of the main supporters of the law, even adding more restricting provisions at the very last minute.
It seems possible that Sotto is on a personal crusade after coming under fire for allegedly plagiarizing an American blogger and the late Sen. Robert Kennedy for his speeches against a controversial family planning and reproductive health bill.
Also it is important to mention that this law is aimed at copyright violators, achieving what SOPA and PIPA hoped to achieve in the west.
Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, one of the lawmakers who voted against the passage of the law said that people can actually get sued under this law for clicking “like” on a facebook link.
According to Guingona, the law is so broad and vague that it’s not even clear who should be liable for a given statement online, and if you’re found guilty, you can spend up to 12 years in prison.
Earlier this week, the politician expressed his views to CBS News saying: “Who is liable? It isn’t clear. The one who made the original post? The ones who share?
The ones who tweet? Even you, if you post a simple, ‘hehehe,’ right? Does that mean you agree? Even Mark Zuckerberg can be charged with cyber-libel”.
Full article: http://theintelhub.c … et-regulations-ever/
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