The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure penalizing the deliberate spread of harmful false information online while introducing new compliance and transparency requirements for digital platforms.
House Bill No. 9465, or the Digital Media Anti-False Information Act, was passed through a voice vote during plenary proceedings on May 26. The measure is among priority bills under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council and is framed as an attempt to balance information integrity with constitutional freedoms.
Under the proposal, individuals may be held criminally liable if found to have knowingly and willfully spread false information intended to cause verifiable public harm or threaten national security. Penalties include imprisonment of six to 12 years and fines ranging from P500,000 to P2 million.
House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, a co-author of the measure, said the bill targets deliberate deception rather than legitimate criticism, adding that the State must be able to respond to disinformation that produces real-world harm.
The bill specifically targets coordinated disinformation operations, including troll farms, bot networks, fake-account syndicates, foreign-backed influence campaigns, and impersonation of public institutions or individuals. It also penalizes the use of synthetic media such as AI-generated deepfakes when deployed without proper disclosure and with intent to mislead or cause harm.
Beyond individual liability, the measure imposes obligations on digital platforms operating in the country. These include maintaining a local legal presence, submitting transparency reports, and disclosing political and sponsored content. Platforms are also required to offer a non-profiled feed option that allows users to view content chronologically.
Stricter requirements apply to so-called “very large online platforms,” or those reaching at least 10 percent of the Philippine population. These include annual systemic risk assessments, independent audits, and researcher access to platform data. Non-compliance may result in fines of up to 6 percent of a platform’s annual Philippine gross revenue for serious or repeated violations.
While concerns have been raised over possible misuse of the measure against dissent, proponents maintain that the legal threshold for liability is high. The bill explicitly protects satire, parody, artistic expression, academic discourse, whistleblowing, journalistic work, and criticism of government officials. It also clarifies that ordinary users are generally not liable for simply liking, sharing, or reposting content unless they knowingly participate in prohibited acts.
The proposal also includes preventive provisions, directing education agencies to strengthen media and digital literacy programs, while requiring government offices to improve information access and correct inaccurate public statements.
