[Press Release] PAHRA raises alarm over proposed social media registration, flags risks to free expression

#HumanRights #FreedomOfExpression | The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) expresses strong opposition to the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s proposal for mandatory social media registration, citing risks to fundamental rights. PAHRA emphasizes the ineffectiveness of similar past measures and calls for rights-respecting alternatives to address online abuse.

Human Rights Online Philippines

February 5, 2026

1–2 minutes

Freedom of expression, Human Rights

Photo from Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) Facebook page

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) raises serious concern over the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s proposal to require social media users to register or be verified, a measure that was previously rejected in 2022 due to its threats to fundamental rights.

PAHRA stressed that the proposal mirrors the SIM Registration Act, which mandated real-name registration but failed to deliver its core promise. “We were promised safety and accountability under the SIM Registration Act, but scams persisted and cybercrime continued unabated,” said PAHRA Secretary-General Edgar “Egay” Cabalitan. “Repeating a policy that has already proven ineffective will not solve online harms.”

The alliance warned that mandatory social media registration could discourage people from speaking out, especially journalists, activists, and ordinary users critical of those in power, at a time when civic space is already narrowing. “This kind of policy does more to silence voices than to solve online abuse,” Cabalitan said.

PAHRA urged the DICT to abandon the proposal and instead pursue evidence-based, rights-respecting solutions that address online abuse without undermining freedom of expression, privacy, and democratic participation.###

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