An independent news group has discovered a network of X accounts with Chinese names that are spreading fake news and creating discord among Filipinos. These accounts are active whenever the Duterte family faces criticism, especially on matters such as the West Philippine Sea and controversial government issues. During a tri-committee hearing at the House of Representatives, Niceforo Balbedina said they discovered 107 accounts originally from Spanish-speaking countries but with fake Chinese names and suspicious online activities.
Posts from the fake accounts have an anti-Philippine theme, including insulting the Philippine Coast Guard, spreading false news about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and drawing attention to Vice President Sara Duterte's criticisms against the current administration. These accounts also follow Media Unlocked, a Chinese news outlet that reportedly uses artificial intelligence to spread misinformation.
Balbedina also shared that the tweets from this network are repeated and appear at the same time that controversial issues will be discussed in the House quad committee. The accounts are particularly active whenever there are allegations against the Duterte family, such as the illegal drug trade, human rights abuses during the previous administration, and controversies over the funding of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd). He also said that the fake accounts shared links containing news about Duterte's statements against the government. Despite the reports, only 24 of the 107 accounts were permanently banned from the platform.
The spread of fake information on social media continues to be criticized, causing a wider problem in the political discourse in the country. The tri-committee of the House of Representatives, consisting of the public order and safety, public information, and information and communication technology committees, plans to launch a deeper investigation into this issue. The purpose of the hearing is to crack down on these types of social media fraud to protect the public's right to accurate information.
