Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) announced on Wednesday, August 20, that he has filed four bills aimed at protecting Filipinos in the rapidly evolving digital world.
“Every click, every data, every future, must be protected,” he said in a Facebook post.
The four bills address a range of issues, including online safety and responsible social media use, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), deepfake accountability, privacy and dignity protection, and empowering ICT professionals in government service, he said.
Benitez said these bills seek to “ensure the safe, responsible, and humane use of technology” and to “advance a digital future that is credible, just, and beneficial for every Filipino.”
The four bills are:
· House Bill No. 3821: An act regulating the use of social media platforms by minors, imposing age restrictions, providing penalties for violations;
· House Bill No. 3822: An act authorizing the protection of critical information infrastructure against cybersecurity threats and incidents, and creating the national cybersecurity agency, defining its powers and functions, and appropriating funds;
· House Bill No. 3823: An act promoting accountability and transparency in the creation, disclosure, and distribution of artificially manipulated media (deepfakes), protecting individual dignity and privacy, defining prohibited acts, providing penalties, and for other purposes; and
· House Bill No. 3824: An act providing for a magna carta for information and communications technology (ict) professionals in government.*