The Commission on Elections is requiring candidates in the 2022 elections to have their social media accounts verified to make electoral aspirants more accountable for their posts online.
On various social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, a blue check mark or a verified badge means that the platform has confirmed the authenticity of the person or group who handles the account.
The verified badge also helps netizens identify the real accounts of the public personalities or groups they intend to follow.
Why are candidates required to have verified social media accounts? According to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, it's one way to ensure that candidates will only put out truthful and reliable information about themselves and their platforms.
"We want to make sure that people have a credible source that they can trust so that people will be able to differentiate between fake news and real news because of where it's coming from," he said.
"When you have a verified account, that is a trusted source. If that trusted source still comes out with fake news, at the very least it is accountable," he added.
The policy has prompted some aspirants for electoral posts, including Chel Diokno and Neri Colmenares, both running for the Senate, to ask their supporters to help them meet the minimum follower requirement for that coveted blue badge.
Election lawyer Emil Marañon criticized the move, saying that it would be disadvantageous to some candidates who may not have enough resources to put out expensive political ads on TV, radio, and other forms of traditional media.
"YouTube is an important platform for many campaigns because running ads and videos there are free, unlike on TV which cost millions. They are not also covered by airtime limits," he said in a tweet.
While some candidates do not spew lies and misinformation on their verified social media accounts, they still come out through "thousands of thousands of troll accounts and paid influencers—some verified but 99.9% unverified."
"This is why it is foolish to even believe that platform verification is the solution," he added.
In the run-up to the 2022 elections, candidates will continue to seek the support of their candidates to have their social media accounts verified.
As of Dec. 14, all but one of the prominent candidates for president have verified Facebook and Twitter accounts, while three of them have no verified YouTube accounts.
Here are some candidates whose Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts have been verified. Look for the blue badge.
President
- Leody De Guzman (no verified accounts)
- Ping Lacson (Facebook, Twitter)
- Bongbong Marcos (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
- Isko Moreno (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
- Leni Robredo (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
- Manny Pacquiao (Facebook, Twitter)
Vice President
- Lito Atienza (no Facebook, YouTube accounts)
- Walden Bello (no verified accounts)
- Sara Duterte-Carpio (Facebook)
- Willie Ong (Facebook)
- Kiko Pangilinan (Facebook, Twitter)
- Tito Sotto (Facebook)
Senators
- Jojo Binay (Facebook)
- Alan Peter Cayetano (Facebook, Twitter)
- Neri Colmenares (Facebook)
- Leila De Lima (Facebook, Twitter)
- Phil Delos Reyes, security guard (no verified accounts)
- Chel Diokno (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
- JV Ejercito (Facebook, Twitter)
- Chiz Escudero (Facebook)
- Jinggoy Estrada (Facebook, YouTube)
- Samira Gutoc (Facebook)
- Risa Hontiveros (Facebook, Twitter)
- Loren Legarda (Facebook, Twitter)
- Gibo Teodoro (Facebook)
- Raffy Tulfo (Facebook, no Twitter account, no personal YouTube account)
- Joel Villanueva (Facebook)
- Mark Villar (Facebook)
Jimenez earlier said the Comelec would work with YouTube to secure verified badges for official candidates.
The Comelec also allowed national candidates to use the poll body's own social media channels to livestream their virtual meetings for free.
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