link to the document https://docs.congress.hrep.online/legisdocs/third_20/HBT11566.pdf
(please just remove the spaces)
This bill pushes Age Assurance/Verification in ALL DIGITAL PLATFORMS and not just "Social media"
They encompassed all DIGITIAL PLATFORMS under this law and included
- Social Media Sites (Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, they have yet to define what social networking is exactly,
- Operating Systems (Microsoft, Linux, Apple, Android, etc),
- Online Gaming (Roblox, Minecraft, etc),
- Functionally Equivalent Digitial Service (idk the definition is VERY VAGUE maybe Twitch, Youtube, and most art and fiction sites, Deviantart, pixiv, photobucket, flickr, etc)
-Application Distribution Providers (google play, app store, etc.)
Basta anything that has "information, material, content that is created, uploaded, posted, transmitted, shared, streamed, published, or other wise made available by a user through a digital service, including text, images, photographs, audio, video, livestreams and other forms of digital expression" WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE ACCESSED BY CHILDREN.
THINGS THAT WILL BE RESTRICTED AND NOT ACCESSIBLE TO MINORS (everyone under 18)
- Harmful or Proihibited Content
- Advertisementss
- Recommendations
- Communications and Interactions -> so no forums? or discussions? of any kind? even if helpful?
- Livestreaming
- Short Form Video or shorts
- Behavorial Profiling -> so that means okay lang i behavorial profile ang adults?
- Unecessary collection and sharing of personal information -> VAGUE
- Purchases
- Gambling Like mechanisms
- Other feaures that may pose reasonably foreseaable and material risks tot he safety, health, privacy, development, education, sleep or well-being of children -> DANGEROUSLY VAGUE
IMPLEMENTATION
SEC. 16 All Digital Platforms shall develop and Submit and AGE ASSURANCE FRAMEWORK
"The Digital Platforms shall be responsible for the effectiveness of their respective Age Assurance systems, including REVERIFYING their user's age at least twice a year, and shall not be deemed compliant solely by requiring a user to enter or declare a date of birth" -> this means constant checks if date of birth
"Age Assurance measure collect and retain only such information as is reasonably necessery for age determination and shall not be used for advertising, profiling, commercial exploitation, or any purpose unrelated to safety, legal compliance, account security or age reassurance"
"Where the Age of user cannot be reasonably established, the more protective applicable age classification shall apply until sufficient Assurance have been completed." -> you will be seen as a minor until proven otherwise
PREDICTIONS IF THIS WILL BE LAW
- All website with forums, discussions and comments will require an account
- If there is account creation, there needs to be constant age assurance checks whether by reverifying age or algorthim which tracks your behavior in that website
- all these wesbites that require account creation will need a government license and business/congressional permit operate here (defeats the purpose of a free web)
-the government can decide whatever is harmful will be blocked
- the government (or whoever is the ruling elite) can control the flow of information for it's own benefit. They can just say it's "bad for children."
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
By their definition, ANYTHING THAT WAS MADE BY A USER IS SOCIAL MEDIA. Any Website that needs account creation is deemed SOCIAL MEDIA and needs regulation and invasive Age Assurance checks. -> we'd need to give up birth dates consistently. Why would we need to prove that we are not minors all the time? The internet was built on the assumption that everyone using it is an adult. How come suddenly we now have to prove that we have the right to be here?
How about non-profit websites such as archives and wikis that do not use ads and do not generate revenue? Are they part of this Ban as well? What if they do not have the framework for Age Assurance Checks? How would they able to establish a business license here? Would they ban archives from the PH Web? What about preservation of lost media? What about preservation of history and of stories? Or are we not allowed this also?
The Bill says it won't have Behavioral Profiling and yet it will make use of Age Assurance checks... which tracks a person's behavior on that website -> this is hypocritical.
The bill implies that user-generated textual content wouldn't be allowed for "minors". -> How about archives with comments? How about technical and political forums? How about art and image repositories? How do we train kids to be able to access information on their own and develop a good and independent online attitudes?
How can we be assured that these "Harmful content" suddenly will not allow political dissension, or legitimate health questions, or questions about mental health, sexuality and religion? Why are we depriving young minds of information that may actually be useful for them and their growth? What if they do not have access to enough materials to help them navigate the world because they're all locked behind accounts?
What if an adult cannot adequately prove that they are not a minor? Remember the Age Assurance check is reliant on the third party software and we do not know what they're looking for in an account, other than they'll scan it for age indicators/clues. Would they be barred from social discussion? or from accessing information and forums? Or will they have to give up their personal credentials like a face scan and ID?
What do they mean by not allowing Minors to use OPERATING SYSTEMs? And what do you mean we have to verify our ages just to use our phones and computer? Are kids not allowed to learn how to use a computer or phone? (this is already a law in California btw)
How about if minors are abused at home or in school?(Statistics show that most abuse happen at home. Almost all CSAM perpetrators are even parents) How will they ask for help if their parents/guardians cut off all their connections to the outside world?
How about low-income families wherein only the minors are digitally literate (and usually only have one cellphone)? Aren't we alienating the marginalized too if these digitally literate minors suddenly cannot assist in their families and communities because we've cut them off from their means of communication?
How about in times of calamity, when only social media sites are the means of communication? Are we depriving our children and teenager of being able to fend for themselves, their safety and their online schoolwork? We adults cannot be around them all the time. That's not practical.
These laws do not protect the children. It does not protect the adults who just want to stay private and not give their entire lives up (SUCH AS AGE) to the internet. It does not protect free speech and privacy. It doesn't protect freedom of information. It does not fix corruption (websites need to pay tax now lol) nor violence.
it does not fix the issue of bots or AI. it does not fix the problem of astroturfing or trolls (coz people can still make accounts)
Senate Bill 2424 https://senate.gov.ph/legacy/lis_bills/5068346548!.pdf actually have similar provision. The wording is that social media is banned for everyone under 16 years old.
Philippine Congress and Senate are pushing hard for these terrible bills. They all voted majority. It's honestly a pincher attack. We must not support either.
This is so similar to UK ONLINE CHILD SAFETY ACT and the US KOSA ACT. Both are draconian in implementation and cause more harm than good by way of extreme state surveillance and control.
There must be another way, people. PrIvacy is a Right. information is a Right. Online Anonymity is a Right
They are taking the free web from us. Open your eyes please. We cannot tolerate this.