A group of social media broadcasters on Tuesday filed a complaint against several online accounts that shared deepfakes of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Michael Raymond Aragon, chairperson of the Kapisanan ng Social Media Broadcasters ng Pilipinas Inc., filed the complaint with the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG).
“It has come to the attention of KSMBPI that a number of YouTube channels and Reddit accounts have been proliferating Deepfake audio, videos, and chat posts that promote anti-government propaganda,” the group said in the complaint.
The KSMBPI cited the unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances under the Revised Penal Code, as well as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Among the implicated accounts was a YouTube channel that allegedly uploaded a now-deleted audio entitled “Pilipinas Aatake na sa China,” according to the Kapisanan.
Another YouTube channel allegedly posted a deepfake video claiming to be an official statement of Marcos.
A Reddit account also supposedly regularly posts libelous short videos, images, and chat threads designed to “malign” and “ridicule” Marcos, Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, and several government officials, it added.
On April 23, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) disowned a manipulated video circulating online featuring an audio of Marcos supposedly instructing the military to act against a foreign country.
The PCO clarified the President gave “no such directive” and the audio “deepfake” was created using generative artificial intelligence (AI).
“We ask everyone to be proactive in exposing and fighting against misinformation, disinformation, and misinformation. Let us remain and be more mindful and responsible of the content we choose to share in our shared digital spaces,” said the PCO.
“Let us all be more vigilant against such manipulated digital content that is deployed by actors to propagate malicious content online and advance a malign influence agenda,” it said.
Deepfakes are an advanced form of digital content manipulation through the use of generative AI, the agency explained. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
