NBI Seeks Law to Target Troll Farms and AI Deepfakes
The National Bureau of Investigation has asked Congress to pass legislation that would give authorities legal power to monitor and prosecute social media troll farms, fake accounts, and AI-generated content designed to deceive the public.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said existing laws cover cybercrimes like financial scams but do not address organized troll farm operations. "We don't have a specific law," Matibag said during a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.
The Gap in Current Law
The NBI already removes fake accounts through coordination with Meta on a daily basis. Since Matibag took office, the bureau has taken down more than 2,000 fake accounts, with some operators facing charges or investigation.
But enforcement works only when fake accounts connect to crimes covered by the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012-financial scams, romance scams, and schemes tied to collapsed Philippine offshore gaming operations. Troll farms that operate outside these categories have no legal basis for prosecution.
"We're always hearing about troll farms. But we have no legal cover to go after troll farms," Matibag said.
How Troll Farms Operate Differently
Troll farm networks use coordinated behavior to make a single narrative or source appear organic, credible, and widely supported. The problem intensifies when real users pick up the coordinated falsehoods and spread them through legitimate accounts.
The NBI is acquiring tools to detect and counter these operations. Matibag said the agency is also working with Meta, which he described as supportive of the effort.
AI-Generated Content Raises Privacy Concerns
The proposed legislation would also address AI-generated videos and images that depict real people making statements or appearing in scenes they never participated in. Matibag said this practice violates privacy regardless of whether the AI portrayal is positive or negative.
"That should be regulated," he said, noting the issue is part of the NBI's congressional proposal.
For legal professionals, understanding AI for Legal applications and generative video technology will be essential as new regulations take shape.
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