Senate President Chiz Escudero is seeking prison terms and penalties to prevent the malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI) to spread false information, malign individuals, and promote shady investment schemes for financial gain.
“Used properly, AI could serve as a powerful tool for education, business, and other fields for improving productivity, research and finding solutions to complex problems. However, the reality is that AI is being exploited by some to cause personal harm or undermine public trust,” Escudero pointed out.
Under Senate Bill No. 782 or the Physical Identity Protection Act filed by the Senate President, any person responsible for creating, generating, reproducing, duplicating, simulating, distributing, disseminating or publishing an individual’s physical attributes without their consent in any media content, regardless of the medium, platform or point of access used, will be held criminally liable.
“If left unchecked, these nefarious activities will continue to multiply and victimize more unsuspecting individuals.”
If left unchecked, the veteran legislator added, these nefarious activities will continue to multiply and victimize more unsuspecting individuals.
“Madalas makikita natin ang ilang mga pulitiko at pati na ang mga malalaking negosyante na tila may tinutulak na produkto o investment na hindi mo alam kung lehitimo, pero ang katotohanan ay ginagamit lang ang imahe nila sa pamamagitan ng AI na walang anumang pahintulot galing sa kanila,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
The Escudero bill proposes jail time and fines, as well as absolute perpetual disqualification from office if the offenders are government officials or employees.
The Escudero bill proposes jail time and fines, as well as absolute perpetual disqualification from office if the offenders are government officials or employees, to stop the unauthorized use of one’s physical attributes for commercial or public use.
The bill prescribes the penalty of imprisonment of one to two years or a fine not exceeding P200,000, or both, for individuals who create, generate or share content containing a person’s physical attributes without prior consent or legal basis.
If the intention of the illegal content is to acquire financial gain or profit, SBN782 calls for a jail time of two to four years or a fine of P200,000 to P400,000, or both.
The proposed measure imposes an even higher penalty of four to six years prison term or a fine of P400,000 to P600,000, or both, for content designed to facilitate or commit crime or fraud.
If the scheme is to acquire financial gain or profit and to facilitate or commit a crime or fraud, the Senate President is proposing an imprisonment of up to 12 years or a fine of P600,000 to P1 million, or both.
In the event that the offender is a public official or employee, he or she will be penalized with absolute perpetual disqualification from public office, on top of the maximum penalties prescribed under the bill.
Certain exemptions are included in the bill, particularly if the use of physical attributes of a person in an AI-generated content is undertaken in good faith such as the factual reporting and documentation of matters concerning public interest by the media.
“These interventions provide the government with the wherewithal to address emerging threats, ensure accountability in the use of Al technologies, and promote creativity and innovation without compromising personal rights and liberties, legitimate speech, journalism and news coverage, academic and educational research, documentary and historical piece and other similar works,” the Senate chief concluded.
