Deepfakes in the Philippine Context

What market/industries are currently disrupted by deepfakes? Answer: Media and entertainment industry.

Deepfake technology has proliferated in media platforms throughout the years. It can be beneficial in the entertainment business, but it can also propagate false information, manipulate images and videos, and alter the voice. This can be challenging to control potentially hazardous content. This may lead to damaging someone’s reputation and can create potential issues and crimes like identity theft, fraud, and pornography. If people easily believe in written blogs and videos with voiceovers made using false information online, how much more if it is a deep fake video of someone? One example is a deep fake video of your highly respected politician or extremely admired celebrity (GMA Entertainment, 2020).

A more frightening form of deception: deepfakes

Deepfakes is not technically illegal, but it can be illegal depending on the specified context. It has the possibility to fall under copyright issues, harassment, exploitation, breaching of data, and numerous cybercrimes.

Action taking place

Legislation has begun to take shape in the Philippines. On November 16, 2018, Senate President Ralph Recto introduced Senate Resolution No. 188, which considers for a congressional investigation into deepfakes. In a discussion of the Philippine National Police from its Anti-Cybercrime Group, they declared that deepfakes is not technically illegal. But it can be illegal depending on the specified context. It has the possibility to fall under copyright issues, harassment, exploitation, breaching of data, and numerous cybercrimes. As the Senate Recto wanted to pursue, it is time to call out for the government to strengthen the plan for enforcing cybercrime and data privacy laws.

References:

Disini & Disini Law Office (2020). Issues in Deepfake Legislation and Regulation. Retrieved from https://elegal.ph/issues-in-deepfake-legislation-and-regulation/

GMA Entertainment. (2020, December 24). Maine Mendoza’s management asks not to share the malicious video being linked to her. Retrieved from https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/showbiznews/news/72716/maine-mendozas-management-asks-not-to-share-the-malicious-video-being-linked-to-her/story

Unit, C. S. (n.d.). ACG-CYBER SECURITY BULLETIN NR 189: Understanding of Deepfake Threat Technology. Retrieved from https://acg.pnp.gov.ph/main/cyber-security-bulletin/337-acg-cyber-security-bulletin-nr-189-understanding-of-deepfake-threat-technology

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