The Cyberspace is in total chaos! Protests both in the physical world and on the web have been waged lately just to assert the right of freedom of speech and/or expression after the Republic Act 10175 or commonly known the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 has been implemented. Aside from these protests, web hackers have also invaded and disabled a lot of government websites as an another sign of protest, showing their disapproval and rage with regards to the said new law. One of the provisions that the protesters are concerned about is the so called "online libel" found in Chapter 3 Section 4 which stated:
(4) Libel. – The unlawful or prohibited acts of libel as defined in
Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended committed through a
computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the
future.
With this provision, the Filipino people, especially the "cyber residents" are fearing that this will hamper our freedom to say what we want to say, whether it is good or bad to the ears. So therefore, now that this law has been implemented, the warning is: BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU POST AND WHAT YOU TWEET! =)
Anyway, if I was given the chance to be one of the authors of this Cybercrime Prevention Act, I would have surely included the following provisions as punishable acts:
1. NARCISSISTIC SHOTS. Any individual uploading 5 albums of his/her solo shots or portraits is subject to this act. It doesn't mean that you have to flood other people's walls with 120 photos of that stupid hairstyle of yours just because you feel pretty.
2. CANNIBALISTIC ENGLISH GRAMMAR. Avoid using the English language in your posts or tweets if you are unsure about your grammar. Posts such as: "Maybe it is not my faith to win", "You are a beach! Beach! Duh!", "Dont you dear call me, gago!" and "You insult me ha? I can never affected. Bleh!"
3. TOTALLY NONSENSE INFORMATION DISSEMINATION. Posts like "I'm sleepy na,", "So tired.", "Bored." and "=)" are utter waste of space on your "friends'" walls. These posts must be immediately reported and stopped!
4. GRUESOME INFORMATION ASSAULT. Posts that depict morbid, gross and yucky imagery are subject to this provisions. Examples are: "Ay, bakit kulay green itong kulangot ko?", "OMG! OMG! Yellowish sticky puss is bursting out from my wound!", and "Super lakas ng regla ko ngayon, naka-4 pads na ako! =(" This criminals must also undergo psychiatric evaluation before incarceration.
5. KSP SOCIAL CLIMBER. This country is already populated with pathetic people such as corrupt government officials. While they fill their pockets with the people's money, a lot of marginalized citizens are drowning into the quagmire of poverty. Same so with these KSP Social Climbers on the web, they are so preoccupied posting their signature and fake collections of shoes, bras, panties, etc. just to be acknowledged. Never knowing that a lot of people out there couldn't even afford to buy a can of sardine. So insensitive, not even a grain of humility left. And yeah, their posts, unbearable! "Here at SM City, so busy shopping." So what?
6. EMO TO THE CORE. "I miss him so badly. Hu hu hu... =((", " I wanna die na!!!", "Ikaw pa rin ang laman ng puso't isip ko hanngang ngayon." "I can't sleep thinking of you. I can't even breathe!"------------> Spare me! Guilty beyond reasonable doubt!
7. JEJEMONOGRAPHY. "30wh foh! h0\/\/ r u n4h?" Distortion of the mind. This must be stopped for Christ's sake!
Well, there you go. I have deliberated these provisions in my head for 15 minutes and I guess, for an idle mind, I find them logical enough. (Laughing out loud.) So if you like to amend the current Cybercrime Prevention Act with these provisions, then vote for me in this coming election. Romerei Macarse for senator!
Ciao!