![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/picture1-3.png?w=84\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nLast Wednesday, February 23, the Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the SIM Card Registration Act. It now awaits the signature of President Duterte until March 4 or it lapses into law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SIM Card Registration Act is described as an \u201canti-troll bill\u201d that supposedly aims to curb criminal activities with mobile phones and catch online trolls that spread disinformation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once enacted, all social media and cell networks will now be required to get the real name and phone numbers of users upon the creation of an account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In simple words, users are now required by law to register their SIM cards and social media accounts\u2014critics flag this as a potential for data breach, black markets and criminality, and state surveillance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, one of the bill authors, claimed that citizens will be given protection against \u201cthose who hide behind anonymity and fictitious names.” It will prevent anonymous accounts from \u201cattack[ing] anyone endlessly and viciously\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The penalty to be imposed on offenders includes imprisonment no less than six years, or a fine of up to P200,000, or both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No evidence of crime prevention<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOther countries like Canada, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Ireland are among the countries that adopted mandatory SIM card registration policies. According to Privacy International, this was \u201cineffective and inefficient\u201d. In 2009, Mexico had a compulsory SIM Registration Policy, yet it was repealed since it was \u201cineffective\u201d as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authors of the bill seem to not have done their research \u2013 why adopt a policy when statistics and reports show that it is ineffective in preventing cyber crimes? In simple words, it is merely a sugarcoated term to fool us Filipinos. We are not blind; yet the state wants to keep an eye on us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A bill made in the spur of the moment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIvy Grace Villasoto, an official of the NPC\u2019s Privacy Policy Office stated that this may lead to a \u201cheightened risk of the occurrence of personal data breaches and unauthorized processing of personal data\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Public Telecommunications Entities (PTEs) will keep the registration forms answered by consumers in a centralized database, which can only be used for processing, activating, or deactivating subscriptions. However, cybersecurity policy analyst Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos said that a central database that stores consumers\u2019 information is an attractive target for cyber attackers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To further discuss the bill, which was made without thinking of its repercussions, criminals can use stolen SIM cards or IDs to commit cyberattacks such as identity theft and online fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A sugarcoated threat to privacy and freedom of speech<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAdditionally, SIM card holders can be placed under surveillance: tracking investigative journalists, witnesses, marginalized groups, victims of various forms of discrimination, and even stan amd private accounts. This is truly a scary thing to think about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe at first, the act can be considered \u201cgood\u201d for it removes the anonymity of trolls and bullies, thus making cyberspace safe. But they had not considered the fact that individuals use fictitious accounts to express themselves without fear. Anonymity provides security to those who wish to keep their personal lives away from the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carlos Nazareno, a privacy rights advocate, spoke out on how our national heroes, namely Jose Rizal, Antonio Luna, and Marcelo H. Del Pilar used pseudonyms (Laong Laan, Taga Ilog, and Plaridel, respectively) to revolt against the colonial leadership that the Spaniards imposed on us \u2013 yet now, the government is trying to restrict such acts. Isn\u2019t it ironic that in the digital age, this will be considered a crime?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The authors of this bill are trying to kill anonymity, penalize those who use pen names, and establish censorship. It is a way to persecute those who speak out against the corrupt and incompetent government in public social media. It is a hindrance to our freedom of speech as netizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When martial law was declared 49 years ago under the Marcos regime, civil liberties were at risk and censorship was imposed. While censorship was mostly towards press freedom, is this also not similar to the bill? Is there not a censorship of content, of ideas, of thoughts? Is this not a threat to our freedom of speech and privacy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Various groups such as the Computer Professionals Union, Democracy Now, and the UP Internet Freedom Network have called to block and veto the said bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Finally, the policy will hand over our data to the Philippine government, an entity notoriously lacking in information security measures. Not only is the SIM Card Registration Act repressive and undemocratic, it is also inutile and anti-poor,” UP Internet asserts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the Anti-Terrorism Law compounded by the National ID System and SIM Card Registration Act, the state’s trojan horse viruses are making us more vulnerable to state terrorism under the Duterte regime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Millions of Filipino citizens have spoken out and are speaking out against these two. Surely, such a reaction from the Filipinos means that these two, in no way, are serving the country. Aren\u2019t they tools for authoritarianism, mass surveillance, censorship, and abuse of civil liberties such as freedom of expression?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Such a bill needs to be vetoed now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An online petition to veto the SIM Card Registration Bill can be found here: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/5fdvmxtw<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Featured image by Manila Standard<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/image-8.png?w=73\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[122],"class_list":["post-3975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4908,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2022\/07\/08\/poe-zubiri-refile-draconian-sim-card-reg-act-despite-privacy-concerns\/","url_meta":{"origin":3975,"position":0},"title":"Poe, Zubiri refile “draconian” SIM Card Reg Act despite privacy concerns","author":"Staff","date":"8 July 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Senators Grace Poe and Juan Miguel Zubiri separately refiled the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card Registration Act, or Senate Bill No. 2395, which former president Rodrigo Duterte earlier vetoed due to a provision requiring social media accounts to have real names and phone numbers upon creation and other security concerns.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News Features"","block_context":{"text":"News Features","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/news-features\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-3-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-3-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-3-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-3-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-3-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-3-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4065,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2022\/03\/10\/campaign-text-spam-takot-ang-dulot-sa-mobile-users\/","url_meta":{"origin":3975,"position":1},"title":"Campaign text spam, takot ang dulot sa mobile users","author":"Staff","date":"10 March 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Ayon sa ulat ng ilang mga residente ng Ilocos, nakakuha sila ng mga text messages kung saan ineenderso si Ferdinand \u201cBongbong\u201d Marcos Jr. o si Bise-Presidente Leni Robredo. Hindi na lang panalo kay Kuya Will o budol ang spam ngayon, pati pangangampanya, umaabot na rin sa mga text messages. Ayon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sinag-web-banner-1-4-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sinag-web-banner-1-4-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sinag-web-banner-1-4-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sinag-web-banner-1-4-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sinag-web-banner-1-4-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sinag-web-banner-1-4-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1848,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/08\/27\/issues-with-voters-registration-raging-pandemic-threaten-to-derail-2022-elections\/","url_meta":{"origin":3975,"position":2},"title":"Issues with voters\u2019 registration, raging pandemic threaten to derail 2022 elections","author":"Staff","date":"27 August 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In these trying times, we should collectively amplify each other\u2019s voices while exposing and opposing the atrocities of the Duterte regime. It is high time to put an end to his terrible reign, and this time, the Filipino people must emerge victorious. The much-anticipated 2022 elections has been topping the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20180928-voter-registration-deadline-md-8163-1.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20180928-voter-registration-deadline-md-8163-1.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20180928-voter-registration-deadline-md-8163-1.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20180928-voter-registration-deadline-md-8163-1.webp?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6010,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2023\/03\/30\/kilatis-in-context-fast-talk-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":3975,"position":3},"title":"KILATIS in context: Fast Talk","author":"Staff","date":"30 March 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"During KILATIS, a student-led forum on the 12th UP Diliman Chancellor selection held on March 26 2023 at the International Center for Public Administration, the nominees for the chancellorship faced the student body to talk about their stances on key issues. Where do these nominees stand, and how do they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_2278-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_2278-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_2278-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_2278-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_2278-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_2278-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2674,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/10\/04\/gabriel-surges-on-files-coc-amid-state-attacks-and-repression\/","url_meta":{"origin":3975,"position":4},"title":"Gabriela surges on, files COC amid state attacks and repression","author":"Staff","date":"4 October 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Gabriela Women\u2019s Party filed its certificate of nomination and acceptance on October 4, Monday. It is one of the party lists red-tagged by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). The anti-communist task force has sought to disqualify the party-list since May 2019. Gabriela Women\u2019s Party\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-6.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-6.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-6.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-6.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-6.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-6.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2769,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/10\/09\/act-forwards-teachers-representation-advances-5-wtd-demands\/","url_meta":{"origin":3975,"position":5},"title":"ACT forwards teachers’ representation; Advances 5 WTD demands","author":"Staff","date":"9 October 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Last October 5, 2021, Tuesday, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)\u00a0 spearheaded the campaign for the 5 World Teachers\u2019 Day (WTD) demands. Prior to the event, ACT planned an online petition and enlisted five demands of the education sector, collecting 1,808 signatures. There was also a mass absence of teachers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-1-3-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-1-3-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-1-3-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-1-3-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-1-3-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-1-3-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":122,"user_id":9,"is_guest":0,"slug":"csspsinag","display_name":"Staff","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/194807626fee183640d3de57e788ba7c8c0d40bd86bfc1237bed56bcd3832c1b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3975"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=3975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n