Rogue POGOs as possible 'troll farms' worries DICT

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has expressed concerns over the possible use of rogue Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) or scam hubs as troll farms for Eleksyon 2025.

The DICT is worried that these troll farms may be used to spread misinformation and influence the outcome of the midterm elections.

At the Saturday News Forum, DICT Undersecretary for Cybersecurity Jeffrey Ian Dy said that recent incidents of fake job postings or recruitment were found to be “using facilities, technologies, and centers as if they are in a call center/POGO.”

"This is a big operation and we are of the belief, although ito hindi pa tapos ‘yung investigation, that the same facilities can be used as, dito kami kinakabahan dahil election nga, troll farms in order to influence our election kasi they are using social media,” the DICT official said.

“If you can use social media to post jobs online to post your opinions and to boost engagement, what can stop you from doing the same for political machinations,” he said.

Dy said that it is about time to regulate social media platforms in order to deter the spread of fake news and disinformation.

The House of Representatives’ tri-committee has launched a probe into cybercrimes, fake news, and disinformation as they aim to penalize peddling of false information online. 

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) advised candidates to report any suspicious viral posts on social media.

“Actually, hindi lang naman yung mga grupo o kandidato ang ating kinakatakot dito o minomonitor. Siyempre, ‘yung mga foreign intervention gamit ‘yung mga ganitong klaseng device o ganitong klaseng mga strategy,” said Comelec chairman Atty. George Erwin Garcia on a 24 Oras report by Vonne Aquino on Saturday.

(Actually, it's not just the groups or candidates we are monitoring here. Of course, it's also the foreign intervention using these kinds of devices or these kinds of strategies.)

— with reports from Jiselle Anna Casucian/ VAL, GMA Integrated News

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