Comelec issues warning on social media misuse

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday warned against the misuse of social media in relation to the upcoming 2025 elections, particularly concerning indecent content and fake news.

“There should be no indecent posts, double meanings, or fake news... no political ads or posts about conflicts or disputes,” Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia said.

Speaking to Manila City Hall reporters, Garcia explained Comelec would not directly act on posts containing indecency or misinformation, as this could be seen as a violation of free speech.

However, he said the Comelec has agreements with Meta, Google and TikTok that give the platforms the power to remove posts that violate the provisions of their agreement with the poll body.

“The platforms can take action, and there’s nothing we can do. Complaints should be addressed to the platform concerned,” Garcia said.