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Anti-Selfie Bill Push Through Legislation Suspicious to Photography Groups

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Photographers and photojournalists protest against the Anti-Selfie Bill.

The House of Representatives has pushed a bill, entitled the “Anti-Selfie Bill,” otherwise known as House Bill 4897, through legislation relatively quickly.  The speed with which it was rushed through its required readings shocked photography groups, according to an article recently completed by GMA News.  The bill’s purpose is supposedly to protect the public and individual people from intrusion of privacy for commercial purposes.

However, photojournalists and various photography groups are wary that that is the true intention behind the bill.  Their particular suspicions are raised at the noted rush placed on the bill and the lack of information known about the content.  In fact, GMA News did a preliminary search on the bill in question, searching the House of Representatives website for any text or history log regarding House Bill 4807.  No information could be found on the bill, adding to the existing suspicions of the photographers.

As a result, the photographers groups organized a protest for the bill, which took place during the action of the Bawal Mag-shoot, and included the Philippines” group, the Press Photographers of the Philippines, the Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines, otherwise known as the PCP, and which was located at the Batasan.  Protestors wore black shirts, with placards reading “Defend Press Freedom: No to House Bill 4807” and “Yes to Freedom of Expression; No to Anti-selfie Bill.”

Protestors took contention with the bill, based in the lack of knowledge circulating on the content.  Mel Cortez, photography freedom advocate, claims that there is confusion as to how the bill is on its third reading with no knowledge known on the content.  Photographers are also wary of the applications of the bill.  Mike Alquinto, veteran photojournalist also expressed some concern that the bill could be used against media and journalists.  Suspicions are only increased, as the lack of information and the speed the bill was pushed through legislation hints there’s something to hide about the content.  As a result, those who oppose the bill have started to wonder if it isn’t meant to serve the needs of the government, not the needs of the people.

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