By FLOYD WHALEY
Published: New York TimesOctober 3,
2012
MANILA — A new Internet law
that took effect in the Philippines on Wednesday could lead to
imprisonment for common activities like sharing Facebook and Twitter posts,
critics say. The
new law, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which was signed by
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Sept. 12, sets
penalties for several computer-related crimes, including child pornography, identity theft, online
fraud and illegally accessing computer networks.
But
critics are concerned about the law’s provisions related to libel, which in the
Philippines is a criminal offense that can result in imprisonment. Harry S.
Roque, president of Media Defense South East Asia, an advocacy
organization, said the law applied the existing legal definition of libel to
the online activities of individuals, meaning that if a comment on Facebook or
Twitter were deemed libelous, the writer of the item and those who shared it
could be prosecuted.
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