‘Bloggers are not above the libel laws’ — Poe

Poe stressed that if a blogger “defames” the subject of his or her article, he or she “must be held liable in accordance with our laws.” (Photo: Grace Poe/Facebook)

“Bloggers are not above the libel laws,” and they should be held accountable if they spread fake news, Chairperson of the Senate public information committee Senator Grace Poe said on Tuesday at the resumption of the hearing of the Senate committee on public information and mass media.

Poe recalled the bloggers’ claim during the last hearing on the proliferation of fake news that their posts were “personal expressions or mere opinions.”

“In our last hearing, some bloggers claimed that their posts were personal expressions or mere opinions and are therefore not subject to a journalist’s code of ethics. In my view, bloggers are not above libel laws,” Poe said in her opening statement.

“If a blogger passes on information that he claims are facts, but which later turn out to be false, we should be able to hold him or her accountable,” Poe added.

Poe stressed that if a blogger “defames” the subject of his or her article, he or she “must be held liable in accordance with our laws.”

“You cannot just attack a person without basis, and then hide behind the skirt of free expression. I think one must have the courage to stand by what he has written and posted publicly,” she said.

The lady Senator also reminded the government of its responsibility of stopping the dissemination of fake news and false information. She added that the proliferation of fake news and false information would undermine the Freedom of Information if the government itself would spread fake news to the public.

“Government regulation that borders on intimidation and harassment of journalists is another means of suppressing the truth,” she said. “Let us remember, the Constitution gives the people the right to information and protects freedom of the press.”

Poe, then, warned how social media is being used to spread fake news.

“What we don’t know or refuse to recognize is that Facebook can act like an echo chamber, reflecting back only news that you like,” Poe said.

Controversial bloggers have been invited to attend the Senate hearing, including Pinoy Ako Blog’s Jover Laurio and Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson.

However, Uson was unable to attend the hearing because of a prior engagement she had to attend to, according to her office.