The National Police Commission has called for measures to hold individuals accountable for their online actions, particularly those who use fake names or 'dummy accounts' on social media.
Commissioner and Vice Chair and Executive Officer Rafael Vicente R. Calinisan emphasized the need to make people more accountable for what they post online.
He expressed hope that laws will be enacted to coordinate with social media platforms, ensuring that those who engage in nefarious acts are held accountable.
According to Calinisan, many violent and hateful posts on social media are created by accounts that hide behind fake names, allowing users to say anything without facing consequences.
A 2020 survey found that three out of 10 users in the Asia Pacific region have admitted to having a social media profile with fake names and photos.
The survey revealed that Southeast Asia accounts for 35% of dummy accounts, followed by South Asia at 28%, and Australia at 20%.
Facebook has the highest prevalence of dummy accounts at 70%, followed by YouTube at 37%, Instagram at 33%, and Twitter at 25%.
The Napolcom official expressed concern that children are normalizing and adopting such behavior both online and in person.
He noted that children see online bullying as acceptable and that this can breed hate and violence, as seen in the recent school shooting in Tacloban City.
The Department of Education reported 14 school incidents and threats between June 16 and July 6, resulting in at least 32 wounded students and three fatalities over the three-week span.
