Below is an update on the Filipino editor community's discussions about the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10175).
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Paolo B. <titopao@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Oct 2, 2012 at 8:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-l] Yet Another Cybercrime Law (Philippines)
To: Wikimedia Mailing List <
wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
Cc: Wikimedia Phillippines mailing list <
wikimedia-ph@lists.wikimedia.org>
Hello Benjamin,
As far as Wikipedia is concerned, some members of the Filipino editors'
community (myself included) are trying to gather a consensus before
requesting for a blackout of the English Wikipedia for the Philippines
(that is, a 24-hour blackout that will only take effect here and not
including other countries). We might probably include other local
Philippine-language Wikipedias as well, but that's still under discussion,
here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:TAMBAY#Proposed_blackout
I have only been able to participate in soliciting the input of other Pinoy
WIkipedians (through messages in their Talk pages) just now, as I was away
from my desktop computers recently. So I'm not sure how many other Filipino
Wikipedians are yet to hear of our proposal. (This proposal, by the way, is
an initiative of the local editing community and is not an official action
of the local chapter, Wikimedia Philippines.)
Outside Wikipedia, however, the rage against the bill is pretty s trong. A
lot of Filipinos have changes their Facebook and Twitter profile pictures
into a solid black square. Even a news website
(
http://www.interaksyon.com/) changed
its layout to a black background. There was a protest movement yesterday at
the Supreme Court, in support of the seven (7) petitions asking for a
temporary restraining order (TRO) of Republic Act 10175; however, no TRO
was issued yesterday as a number of judges were absent because of official
duties. Suffice it to say that, yes, there is a significant opposition to
the Cybercrime Law (specifically on the provisions on libel), and for sure
it will be in the news in the days to come....
Paolo Barazon
Trustee, Wikimedia Philippines
(speaking on a personal capacity, not on behalf of Wikimedia Philippines)