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MANILA — The Philippines’ presidential candidates debating on Saturday agreed on not less than one factor and that was the necessity to maintain social media corporations answerable for the unfold of disinformation because the nation prepares for elections on Could 9.
With the coronavirus pandemic disrupting conventional campaigning, candidates and supporters are more and more turning to social media to succeed in voters, prompting considerations about on-line hate speech and disinformation.
“Social media platforms ought to be made accountable as a result of they’re housing disinformation,” Vice President and opposition chief Leni Robredo stated within the debate.
Retired boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who can also be working for president, stated creators of pretend information ought to be punished.
One other candidate, Manila metropolis mayor Francisco Domagoso, additionally stated social media corporations ought to be held accountable for permitting pretend accounts on their platforms.
The candidates didn’t identify which social media firms might be punished.
Representatives for Meta Platforms’ Fb FB.O, Alphabet’s GOOGL.O YouTube, Twitter and TikTok, all common social media platforms within the Philippines, didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Frontrunning candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr didn’t take part within the presidential debate organized by the nation’s election physique.
Analysts say the recognition of Marcos, the namesake and son of the Philippines’ late dictator, stems from a efficient social media technique concentrating on the youth.
Greater than 67 million Filipinos are eligible to vote on Could 9 to pick the Southeast Asian nation’s subsequent president, vice chairman and roughly 18,000 native officers.
—Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; enhancing by Jason Neely
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