This issue is deeply personal to me because I, too, could become a victim of a deepfake. Even more concerning is the fact that innocent individuals including children as young as one year old could also be targeted and exploited through this technology. It is terrifying to think about the potential harm this technology can cause if left unregulated.

Deepfake technology, which allows users to create hyper-realistic digital fabrications of individuals, has already been used maliciously in various sectors around the world most disgustingly in creating non-consensual pornography, harassing individuals, committing fraud, and spreading dangerous political disinformation. In the Philippines, where digital literacy is still growing among the population, the risk of such malicious activities becoming widespread is even more alarming. 

According to data from MIT Technology Review, deepfake videos have been doubling every six months since 2018. Furthermore, the need to address this technology's misuse has been acknowledged worldwide by international authorities and tech organizations alike.

The lack of legal frameworks regulating the use of deepfake technology in the Philippines not only allows malicious users to exploit its potentials without consequence, but it also leaves potential victims defenseless and unable to seek justice. Thus, it is imperative for the Philippine Congress and national agencies to urgently pass legislation that criminalizes the malicious use of deepfake technology.

Proposed legislation must include strict penalties for those who engage in or facilitate the creation and distribution of deepfake content intended for sexual exploitation, harassment, fraud, and political disinformation. Furthermore, protective measures should be included in the law to ensure the rights and dignity of individuals potentially targeted by such technology.

Please help protect our communities from this looming digital threat. Join us in urging the Philippine government to take a stand against this insidious form of cyber manipulation. Please sign this petition to push for decisive legislative action to criminalize the malicious use of deepfake technology in the Philippines.