A student attends online classes. MindaNews file photo by JOAN MAE SOCO BANTAYAN
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 16 March) – A group of advocates is pushing for the reframing of the 2015 Philippine Declaration on Internet Rights and Principles (Phildec), to be anchored on improving data privacy amid the rise of the “evolving digital economy”.
In a speech during the Davao City consultation meeting at Pinnacle Suites here on Friday morning, Alan Alegre, Foundation for Media Alternatives project lead said discussions to update the Phildec to its second version nine years after, must address data privacy, as “Internet must be free for all” despite its “evolving landscape.”
The declaration, as defined by their group’s website, “hopes to serve as a basis for public education, advocacy, networking and campaigns on ICT, human rights, and development.”
From the organization’s 2015 declaration covering 10 areas of concern, it aims to add other areas such as protecting the digital public sphere through addressing disinformation and harmful content, coping with the challenges of artificial intelligence (AI), protecting information and technological systems and electoral integrity.
Alegre said the need to discuss the integrity of automated elections in the context of Internet rights and principles must ensure that “the digital landscape and digital use remains secure and trustworthy, especially in the elections.”
As for the use of AI, he said the declaration must call for stricter development and its deployment, must not discriminate and be more transparent in its generated content, be held accountable, and trained to be ethical in nature.
“We hope the new declaration would serve as a guide and should spur actions in different sectors… we hope the declaration puts the balance of human rights, information and public interest (in the context of the Internet data privacy principles),” he said.
The foundation in a statement also said that they recognize the development of the gig economy, cryptocurrencies, big data, Internet of Things, adaptive AI, among others.
Mindanawon representatives from the academe, business sector, government, nongovernment organizations, and media attended the consultation.
Ma. Jessa Garsuta, the Department of Information, Communications and Technology cybersecurity co-focal person and engineer, said that this will be a great basis for them to hear “the voice of the people,” as well as for policy-making.
“For the [second iteration of Phildec], gagamitin talaga namin ‘to since para siyang magiging (we will really use this since it could become) the voice of the people… we are supposed to hear the voice of the people,” Garsuta said. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)
