The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is seeking to strengthen its plan to conduct “search and destroy” operations against social media troll farms, which it said produce fake news and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content designed to deceive the public.
While the existing Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 allows law enforcers to pursue scammers and cybercriminals, NBI Director Melvin Matibag noted that it is not sufficient to address organized troll farm operations.
“We’re always hearing about troll farms, but we have no legal basis or legal cover to go after them. We are probably proposing a bill that will enact into law the monitoring of these because this is not specified in the law,” Matibag said.
The statement came amid growing concern over the use of fake accounts, coordinated social media behavior, and artificial intelligence to spread false or misleading content, especially during politically charged controversies.
Reports have also persisted that some politicians and companies use troll farms for their own gain, twisting the truth and sowing hate through coordinated attacks.
Matibag said the NBI already takes down fake accounts through coordination with Meta, but a clearer law would help authorities deal with troll farm networks that operate beyond individual fake profiles.
“We already took down fake accounts. We just stopped reporting it but we’re doing it on a day-to-day basis. We have coordination already with Meta and they’re very supportive,” he said.
Since assuming office, Matibag said the NBI has removed more than 2,000 fake accounts, with some of the individuals behind them already facing charges or still under investigation.
Current enforcement is clearer when fake accounts are tied to offenses already covered by the cybercrime law, such as financial scams and romance scams linked to collapsed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) operations.
However, troll operations are different, he explained, because they often involve coordinated behavior designed to make one source or narrative appear organic, credible, and widely accepted.
The problem worsens when coordinated falsehoods are picked up by real users and spread through legitimate accounts.
To strengthen its capability, the bureau is acquiring new tools to detect and combat troll farm operations.
Matibag also said AI-generated videos and images that falsely depict real people will form part of the NBI’s proposal to Congress.
“That’s one part of our proposal to Congress that should be regulated because it somehow also violates your privacy from my point of view,” he said, adding that AI content using a person’s likeness raises privacy concerns regardless of whether the portrayal is flattering or damaging.
The NBI chief emphasized that the bureau intends to engage lawmakers on how legislation can address the misuse of AI, fake accounts, and organized online deception without leaving enforcement agencies to operate on uncertain legal ground. (Aaron Recuenco)
