State-Sponsored Online Harassment Creates Climate of Fear Among Young Philippine Human Rights Defenders

​State-sponsored online harassment, particularly through "red-tagging," is significantly impacting young human rights defenders in the Philippines, leading to a climate of fear and self-censorship.​

• Red-Tagging Practices: Government agencies, notably the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), have been actively involved in red-tagging—publicly labeling activists as "communist rebels" or "terrorists." This tactic has been employed extensively on social media platforms like Facebook to discredit and intimidate young activists. ​

• Impact on Activists: The online harassment has tangible offline consequences, including threats, unwarranted criminal charges, and physical attacks. Many young activists report experiencing fear and anxiety, leading some to disengage from activism to protect themselves. ​

• Role of Social Media Platforms: Platforms like Facebook have been criticized for inadequate content moderation, allowing red-tagging content to proliferate. This has facilitated the spread of misinformation and harassment against human rights defenders. ​

• Legislative and Policy Concerns: The implementation of laws such as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 has been used to legitimize actions against activists, further exacerbating the risks they face. Human rights organizations have called for the repeal of such laws and the abolition of bodies like the NTF-ELCAC.