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‘Facebook’ debate erupts between Mikey, Hontiveros
By BEN R. ROSARIO
October 3, 2009, 1:16pm

Engaging presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo in a bitter debate on cyberspace regulations, Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros proposed that social networking sites in the internet should not be covered by libel laws.

Hontiveros issued the reaction after chiding Arroyo for airing his support to proposals to regulate postings in social networking sites.

Arroyo aired this view when a Facebook photo entry believed to be posted by a journalist assailed him for allegedly shopping for wine at Rustan’s supermarket as Ondoy was flooding a huge portion of Metro Manila.

“My picture posted at Facebook with a caption saying I was busy shopping for wine at the height of Typhoon Ondoy is another malicious attack at my personality. It is so depressing,” Arroyo said in a press statement.

The eldest son of President Arroyo said he was with his family in Malacañang last Saturday morning, adding that he helped mobilize rescue and relief operations for Metro Manila folks.

Reacting to Arroyo’s statement, Hontiveros chided the Pampanga solon for calling for restrictions in the use of social networking sites.

Asked what should be the recourse of people who have been unfairly maligned with vicious lies posted in the internet, Hontiveros said they can turn to the provisions of the libel law.

However, she stressed that since users of Internet sites are merely exercising freedom of expression, they should be exempted from libel.

Hontiveros’ statements elicited an angry reaction from Arroyo who insisted that the party list solon’s position was an effort on her part to “hug the limelight.”

Arroyo said Hontiveros’ position is being beclouded by her senatorial ambition.

“The problem with a senatoriable like her is that she is too quick to jump on the gun without understanding fully well what the issue is all about,” Arroyo said. “She is saying that Facebook is being used for Bayanihan purposes and I believe that’s good.”

“Either she is myopic or she is too hungry for media exposure,” said Arroyo. “What I said was I hope Facebook would be regulated, not I want or seek any regulation for Facebook.”

Some websites including Yahoo practice regulation, suspending accounts of users found to have abused their privileges.

While traditional media including print and broadcast are regulated with the writers, reporters, editors, publishers and network executives held responsible for their stories, online social networking outfits which have become sort of alternative media are not.

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In fairness to Mikey, he was unfairly treated when that photo was splashed all over with a caption he was shopping for wine at the height of typhoon Ondoy. There may be a lot of reasons to despise Mikey but to intentionally malign him without any basis is too much.

His reaction against Hontiveros is valid. Any one of us placed in Mikey's situation, under these specific set of circumstance, would react the same way.

Unrestrained freedom of expression? How far are we willing to go... when we are at the receiving end?

 

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