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Sunday, January 27, 2013

Social Media In Politics

Whether poor or rich, everyone has free access to Facebook and Twitter. Yes, let us confine our discussion to these two most popular social media tools ever invented on the face of the earth. Through these media, people are able to release, even for a while, themselves from their stresses, or express themselves in line with their exercise of their constitutional right to freedom of expression. Of course, they could also be sources of depression if they chose to envy their show-off friends. This is our world today. Never in the history of mankind since Adam and Eve were exiled, that man has been given so much freedom or space to have access to so much information, manipulate or customize his exposure to the web, or be at a liberty to post practically anything without anyone preventing him to do so.

In politics, social media is definitely a very useful and effective tool in influencing the thoughts of people. It could be a potent propaganda and vote-getting tool. Politicians can express themselves com make known what they stand for. They can easily and quickly respond to comments and inquiries.

There are discussions about airtime or internet time and browsing expenses on the part of politicians concerned. There are now debates about campaigning over the internet and disqualifying those who will be found guilty.

The definition of campaigning is clear. The moment one seeks the vote of any person, that is campaigning. In the same manner, any person campaigning against a candidate is also considered as a partisan activity. Can a politician who has a personal account with these social media, and in effect have friends and tweetmates, with whom he has been in touch through Facebook or Twitter be deemed as campaigning?

The answer should be, generally, no. An expression of opinion, the posting of non-partisan photos, and other similar acts must not be deemed campaigning. Those which are incidental to having a social media account particularly prior to the election period should be given the benefit of the doubt.

This is actually an area in election law which must be defined clearly and cannot be the subject of any speculation or guessing game. A social media account created outside the Philippines cannot be said to be an election offense committed within the Philippine territory. Everyone is also aware that one can just register even if that person is another individual but merely used the name of the candidate. What about those who merely "liked" the posting, will they be held liable for an election offense?
What is important is to provide some specific guidelines on the use of social media and at this early, this area should merit the attention of those concerned for purposes of coming out with proposed legislation.

For now, let social media be an excellent tool of free expression. Let the people decide the political worthiness of candidates.

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