#BlockSIMCardReg

[upinternet]

UP Internet Freedom Network endorses Kabataan Partylist for this 2025 Midterm Elections

Aligned with its founding principles of protecting privacy to democratize the cyberspace, UP INTERNET endorses Kabataan Partylist given their track record and commitment to forwarding the interests of the Filipino youth.

In particular, 1st nominee Renee Co has consistently denounced the SIM Registration Act during her term as UP Student Regent. She was one of many who mobilized student organizations and concerned individuals to push the #JunkSIMReg (formerly #BlockSIMCardReg#VetoSIMCardReg) campaign to its initial victories as it was vetoed under Duterte's term. 3rd nominee Jpeg Garcia is also a human rights worker and survivor of the very Anti-Terrorism Act that brought UPLB students/alumni together to establish UP INTERNET in their indignation of the said law.

In endorsing the Kabataan Partylist, we reiterate our very own Electoral Privacy Agenda:

Protect our right to privacy. - Junk the SIM Registration Act. - Repeal policies (e.g. Anti-Terrorism Act) and halt projects (Safe Philippines smart CCTV network) that enable mass surveillance on the Filipino people. - Hold telecommunication companies and government agencies accountable for the frequent data breaches and unauthorized transactions.

Uphold free expression and democracy on the Internet. - Decriminalize cyberlibel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, which has been used to repeatedly silence dissent. - Reject any attempt to criminalize anonymity and the use of encryption tools. - Investigate and shut down POGOs that have been exposed as troll farms that deliberately spread disinformation.

UP INTERNET believes that the state and those running for office should end repression, surveillance, and attacks on democracy in the digital realm. We must listen and actively work with community leaders, privacy advocates, human rights workers in our genuine interest to protect privacy and towards internet freedom. We invite aspiring legislators to heed this call, and more importantly invite voters to carry these calls before, during, and beyond the elections.#

Read more on the OSR's position on SIM Registration under Renee Co's term:

https://www.facebook.com/upstudentregent/posts/pfbid0UNGX6d8o4JyvACDn1msnrmCDzWNJwnXcriaPeMVrzEA8qM9gqdwTAEPRc691EmoLl

https://www.facebook.com/upstudentregent/posts/pfbid0Sen5Mza7K8PegJyuje1GgiTEmya6ypQWaGqmU9QmnZ7ejT1RVGTsCaBkeBMSSNQEl

https://www.facebook.com/upstudentregent/posts/pfbid0unVhaSJV7sVjfSNeyN7HJGRH5qjM4EkfE4hWfnuhwm7y3ADUraPY8aMbypYSGcppl

Kabataan Partylist Southern Tagalog also expressed their support for the campaign against SIM Registration: https://www.facebook.com/KabataanST/posts/pfbid02pfszQmYSEWtFJmS7kTfX5Xzuz3MXw7oV4a1mWsKjKP1WKFdGaB2fupuge1Zuhh9Jl

[themagical1sa]

WE DID IT. WE GOT THE PRESIDENT TO VETO THE SIM CARD AND SOCIAL MEDIA REGISTRATION ACT.

[upinternet]

UP INTERNET opposes the SIM Card Registration Act, calls for people's action to defend privacy

Last December, both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the SIM Card Registration Act, the most brazen attack on Filipinos’ right to privacy and freedom of expression online. This February, the two versions of the bill have been consolidated by the bicameral conference. It now awaits Duterte’s signature, or lapses into law if not vetoed before March 4.

UP INTERNET deems the SIM Card Registration Act as the most dangerous threat to internet freedom in Philippine history, being the final piece to legalize cyber-surveillance nationwide. Through the association of legal identities with SIM cards, it constrains the ability of the public to remain anonymous online. The added provisions on enforcing a real-name policy for social media further compounds the situation.

The policy effectively compromises freedom of expression as it increases the difficulty of remaining anonymous online. By associating internet connections with legal identities, the right to privacy is abrogated. These premises give those in power unprecedented access to private information as well as effective control over discourse online. Under the characteristically repressive administrations of the Philippines, this type of government access and control becomes a weapon to stifle righteous opposition against tyranny. There is no true democracy if the people are not given their right to privacy and freedom of expression, only totalitarian control of those with access to our data.

Not only this, similar policies across the globe were shown to be useless against crime despite lawmakers claiming otherwise. It may in fact lead to higher cases of smartphone and more importantly, identity theft. In Mexico, their version of the law was repealed just three years after it was passed. In July 2020, the government of Laos commenced its nationwide sim registration program. Residents who failed to register will not be able to communicate with other users and connect to the internet. Despite the country’s extension of registration, the policy would only make the internet less accessible to millions with no IDs and those in remote and rural areas.

Finally, the policy will hand over our data to the Philippine government, an entity notoriously lacking in information security measures. Not only is the SIM Card Registration Act repressive and undemocratic, it is also inutile and anti-poor.

The harmful bill is now in its final stage before becoming state policy. UP INTERNET calls on the Filipino people to defend our right to privacy and join the fight to free the internet. We must act now and do everything in our power to foil the passage of this bill.#

[themagical1sa]

I mean... not a single mention of it in broadcasted television news earlier tonight too. It's almost... suspicious.