Bill seeking to penalize troll farms spreading disinformation filed ahead of May 2025 midterm polls
Lawmakers Rep. Margarita “Migs” Nograles and Rep. Cheeno Almario have filed a House Bill aiming to criminalize troll farms for disinformation campaigns ahead of the May 2025 elections.
House Bill 11178, or the Anti-Troll Farm and Election Disinformation Act, aims to legally penalize individuals who are “producing, publishing, or amplifying false or misleading information” against a political candidate with the intent to damage their reputation or candidacy.
In their explanatory note, the lawmakers noted that the rise of troll farms and disinformation have become a “serious threat” to voters’ right to elect freely and fairly.
“Troll farms are not just digital pranks—they are systematic tools designed to deceive voters and distort democracy. This bill is our commitment to ensuring that the voice of the Filipino people remains genuine and untainted by lies,” said Nograles, representative of the Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party list.
For his part, Alamario of the second district of Davao Oriental stressed that the bill aims to strengthen the country’s democracy.
“This is about restoring trust in our democratic institutions. Technology should be a force for empowerment, not manipulation. HB 11178 is a proactive step to ensure that innovation strengthens, rather than weakens, our democracy,” he said.
The prohibited acts include funding, sponsoring, or collaborating with a troll farm, as well as employing individuals, such as vloggers or influencers to spread false information against a candidate.
The proposed bill seeks to:
- Criminalize troll farms and disinformation campaigns targeting political candidates during elections.
- Penalize violators with imprisonment of six (6) to 12 years and fines ranging from P500,000 to P10 million.
- Disqualify political candidates who knowingly benefit from disinformation activities.
- Hold online platforms accountable for failure to remove disinformation, subjecting them to significant fines.
It empowers the Commission on Elections to work with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group to monitor and investigate troll farms.
Seeing education as the long-term solution, the bill mandates educational campaigns led by the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to promote voter awareness and critical thinking online.
“By equipping the public with the tools to recognize and combat disinformation, we can nurture a more informed and responsible electorate,” Nograles said.
Nograles emphasized that the impact of troll farms does not only undermine electoral integrity and harm the domestic democratic process, but also portrays the Philippines as being vulnerable to manipulation on the global stage.
Almario, who is married to Nograles, said that disinformation causes division and breaks the public trust in institutions.
“This is about more than just elections; this is about the fabric of our society,” he said.
The bill will also protect whistleblowers who expose troll farms and disinformation campaigns from retaliation. It also underscores transparency to ensure that the probe into troll farms is conducted fairly and without political bias.
The couple also stressed that disinformation is a shared responsibility among all levels of government, civil society, and the private sector.
“This legislation is not just about combating today’s challenges; it’s about safeguarding the future of our democracy for generations to come. We owe it to the Filipino people to ensure that their votes and voices are protected,” said Almario. (With reports from Delon Porcalla)
