The Department of Information and Communications Technology said it is conducting consultations on a proposal that would require social media users to register or verify their identities, as the government studies measures to address the growing use of alter accounts and anonymous online activity.
DICT officials said discussions are still at an early stage and involve social media companies and other stakeholders. No timeline has been set for the possible implementation of any policy.
The department said the review is focused on strengthening accountability online, particularly as alter accounts have been linked to harassment, scams, disinformation, and other forms of harmful digital behavior that are difficult to trace under current enforcement mechanisms.
The proposal has been compared to the SIM registration system, which requires mobile phone users to register under their real identities. The DICT previously said the policy was intended to help curb text scams and other forms of mobile-based fraud.
DICT Undersecretary Sarah Sison said the first public consultation will be conducted online this week. The department will also meet with social media platforms to assess possible implementation methods and gather feedback from other affected groups.
DICT officials acknowledged that mandatory verification raises concerns related to freedom of expression, but said these must be balanced against security considerations and the need to protect children and other vulnerable users online.
PGMN’s first tech Anchor Ann Cuisia criticized the proposal, describing mandatory social media registration as authoritarian and warning against allowing such a policy to be decided unilaterally by an executive department.
Cuisia said the issue involves national questions of speech, privacy, and digital identity, and argued that it should undergo proper legislative debate and broad public consultation rather than being introduced through a department circular on a short timeline. She noted that in other countries, similar policies are typically discussed in parliament, subjected to extended consultations, and implemented gradually over several years.
She cautioned against adopting what she described as knee-jerk solutions that appear effective on paper but are overly broad in practice. According to Cuisia, problems such as online scams, child abuse, and disinformation require targeted responses, including stronger platform moderation, cooperation with law enforcement, digital literacy education, and the use of existing legal frameworks.
Cuisia also warned that eliminating anonymous speech across social media platforms amounts to excessive overreach and could harm legitimate users who rely on anonymity or alter accounts for safety and free expression. She further questioned the policy-making approach behind the proposal, saying it reflects weak and careless decision-making.
She also pointed out that mandatory social media registration is commonly associated with authoritarian states, citing Russia, China, and North Korea as countries that enforce similar systems.
