Philippines: Introduced Online and Social Media Membership Accountability Act (SB 1289)

On 8 September 2022, the Online and Social Media Membership Accountability Act (SB 1289) was introduced into the Philippine Senate. The Act would aim to facilitate secure and accountable online transactions by requiring social media websites or similar platforms to identify their users. Specifically, the Act would mandate social media website operators to validate the identity of users prior to their registration for such a website. Furthermore, the Act would require operators to allow for analytics on their websites concerning the real identity of users. The Act also defines penalties for any violations of the Act. The Act would enter into force 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.