MANILA – The University of the Philippines (UP) sounded the alarm on multiple reports of empty, duplicate and fake accounts bearing the names of its students following their campus protest against the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill.
In a statement, the UP Office of the Student Regent said that the suspicious duplication of social media accounts were first reported in UP Cebu, where seven protesters and a bystander were arrested last Friday.
“We are encouraging students not to panic and instead help each other in reporting suspicious accounts only. We just need to stand together against possible tactics seeking to silence our voice. Stay safe everyone,” it said in a statement.
“We are hoping that this is a glitch in the system only and can be resolved as soon as possible. However, let it be clear that we will not tolerate any misleading content posted on any account that will endanger our students,” it added.
Tug-ani, the official student publication of UP Cebu, first reported how several Facebook pages copying the usernames of students from the said campus made rounds online. This came following the arrest last Friday of some students who joined an anti-terrorism bill protest in the area.
“Dozens of empty duplicate accounts bearing active usernames of UP Cebu students surface tonight. Victims speculate that this might involve identity theft or targeted attacks against UP students. Check your name, Iskolar!,” it said.
Apart from UP students, poser accounts of faculty members and alumni also surfaced Sunday. All have no photos and posts.
Meanwhile, Panay News learned that, aside from UP students and faculty members, some ordinary person have also discovered having poser accounts on Facebook, mostly were only created recently and has no photos and posts.
“I heard the news ‘yun sa UP students so I curiously checked if may duplication sa FB account ko and to my surpise meron nga and it was recently created,” said an Ilongga who works as a teacher in Manila.
“The past few days, I must admit that I am expressing my opposition about the Anti-Terrorism Bill so I don’t know if this fake account have something to do with it,” she added.
Several Facebook users, mostly who has been critical against the controversial measure, have also expressed alarm after they found out having duplicated accounts on Sunday./PN
