COMELEC expanded the rules on online campaigning.
COMELEC — The Commission on Elections has expanded the rules on online campaigning amidst the continued influence of social media.
Last November 18, the poll body released Resolution No. 10730 or the Rules and Regulations implementing the “Fair Elections Act” (Republic Act 9006) indicating instructions that should be followed during the campaign period.
In the resolution, the poll body said that only verified accounts, blogs, websites, and/or social media pages may run electoral ads and promote or boost electoral posts.
Senatorial aspirant Atty. Chel Diokno asked help from his supporters on his Facebook page last December 10 as he cited that the poll body will disallow non-verified accounts to promote political posts on social media. According to him, his Youtube channel hasn’t yet been verified.
The poll body stated in the resolution that each registered political party, as well as political candidate, shall register with the COMELEC under the Education and Information Department (EID) the website name and web address of all platform verified official accounts, blogs, websites, and/or other social media pages of such political party or political candidate within 30 days from the last day of the period for the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC).
READ ALSO: COMELEC Issues Rules For Campaigning, “e-Rallies” For 2022 Elections
Manila Bulletin reported that websites completing the verification process after the said period and other social media accounts established after the said period must be registered with the Comelec-EID within 5 days from its registration or verification.
The poll body also stated that any other blog, website, or social media page not registered but when taken as a whole, has for its primary purpose the endorsement of a political candidate, whether or not directly administered or maintained by the political candidate or their official campaign representatives, shall be considered additional official blogs, websites, or social media pages of the said candidate.
“Only verified accounts, websites, blogs, and/or social media pages may run electoral ads, and boost or promote electoral posts,” the resolution read.
Aside from this, the resolution stated that the poll body, through the EID, shall provide a platform for free live-streaming of e-rallies of national candidates, which will be posted on the COMELEC’s official social media pages.
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