Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday committed to intensifying its cyber operations against artificial intelligence or AI-generated photos and videos that could mislead the public and spread false information on social media.
According to Philippines News Agency, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. directed the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group to strictly monitor malicious and misleading AI content as such materials could also be exploited by criminal groups for illicit activities. 'This illegal activity is a big challenge that requires not only coordination with other agencies but also cooperation with the public. Our collective efforts will prevail over misuse of advances in digital technology,' Nartatez said, adding that this is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., through the guidance of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, to strengthen efforts against disinformation and protect the public from emerging threats in the digital space.
Investment in modernization and crime-fighting capability using digital technology is one of the priorities that Nartatez emphasized when he assumed the PNP leadership last year. He cited the need for a focus on the PNP support system to properly address cybercrimes. 'Our cybercrime capabilities must be responsive and should adapt to the latest cyber threats and trends. We will prevent these crimes proactively by establishing mechanisms to address emerging threats swiftly,' he said.
The PNP's intensified campaign came after the National Privacy Commission (NPC) warned the public against using artificial intelligence to generate photos and videos using a real person's face. The NPC said among the illicit uses of AI-generated faces are false depictions of a person's actions and statements. It reminded the public that the processing of personal data should be for a legitimate purpose, as it underscored the risks posed by the misuse of personal information in creating deceptive digital content.
The PNP chief warned social media users against sharing deepfakes and other malicious information, saying those who knowingly spread fake content could also face criminal charges. 'We will file criminal charges against those behind this fake content, as well as those who share deepfakes and malicious information online,' Nartatez said. He urged the public to be discerning when viewing and sharing content on social media.
