MANILA – While campaigning on social media is not yet regulated, the Commission on Elections will monitor “sponsored” and “boosted” campaign posts in relation to the 2019 midterm elections.
But Comelec will not regulate posts campaigning for candidates made by personal accounts.
Sponsored and boosted posts will now be counted against the politicians’ campaign ad limits, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told Radyo Pilipinas on Sunday.
“Ang isang tinitingnan ng Comelec e iyong mga boosted posts na tinatawag – iyong nagbabayad ka ng mga P200 para dumami ang makakita ng mga posts mo. Iyon iyong mga ganoong klaseng ads ang binabantayan natin,” Jimenez said.
Meanwhile netizens are free to campaign for their bets on social media.
“OK lang po iyon kasi nga ang social media talaga parang ano iyan e, personal expression iyan e. So protektado din po iyan ng Constitution,” he said.
Jimenez added: “Simpleng distribution lang ng pangkaraniwang tao – kunwari may nakita akong campaign poster na gustong-gusto kong ikalat. So pinost ko sa account ko, tapos shinare ng mga kaibigan ko. Hindi problema iyon ng kandidato.”
In the 2013 and 2016 elections Comelec had said political campaigns via social media will not be regulated because online accounts are considered personal spaces./PN
