Sotto eyes stronger takedown rules vs. fake news in Senate comeback

Senator-elect Vicente Sotto III. (Photo: Vicente Tito Sotto/Facebook)

By Wilnard Bacelonia, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Senator-elect Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday called for stronger safeguards against fake news, including provisions mandating the immediate removal of false and fabricated content from online platforms.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Sotto said while he supports press freedom and free expression, there must be accountability for those who knowingly spread falsehoods.

“We must preserve freedom of the press, expression, and speech, but that doesn’t give anyone the license to invent fake news,” Sotto said.

“If it’s inaccurate because you misunderstood, fine. That’s freedom of speech, even the freedom to be wrong. But if you fabricate stories, say someone died or someone killed another, and it turns out to be false, there should be automatic takedown.”

Sotto noted that the current cyberlibel law lacks a takedown provision, thus fake news often remains online for one to two years without consequence, exposing targets to prolonged reputational harm.

“Take down muna (first), then go after the person who posted it to see if they should be charged or not,” he said.

He said the original Press Freedom Law, authored by his grandfather, Vicente Yap Sotto Sr., and enacted in 1946, applied only to print media.

In 2019, Sotto authored Republic Act 11458, expanding the original law’s coverage to include TV, radio, cable, and accredited online platforms to reflect the evolving media landscape.

The law affirms that journalists, including those from electronic mass media, cannot be compelled to disclose confidential sources, with the clause “without prejudice to his liability under the civil and criminal laws” ensuring accountability.