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UP urges 'constructive solutions' to dangers of Anti-Cybercrime Law


The University of the Philippines on Friday called on critics of the controversial Anti-Cybercrime Act to find "constructive solutions" to concerns about the new law.
 
In a statement, UP also refuted allegations that the UP System website (www.up.edu.ph) was among the sites defaced by an alleged hacktivist group last Wednesday.
 
"We call upon the critics of RA 10175 and those passionately involved and reporting on the issues surrounding the Cybercrimes Prevention Law to exercise prudence and restraint in their actions and words. We need to find common ground on the issue and work on constructive solutions on the perceived dangers attendant to this statute," it said.
 
Critics of the new law had raised concerns that its provisions penalizing some offenses like online libel may attempt to stifle freedom of expression online.
 
Some of these supposed critics included a group of hackers calling itself Anonymous Philippines, which defaced many sites Wednesday night to register its protest.
 
Other groups have already questioned the law before the Supreme Court.
 
UP said many of its stakeholders are concerned with the serious ramifications of Republic Act 10175, particularly "on the freedom of speech, the issue of online libel, and the privacy of communication."
 
Meanwhile, the UP denied being hacked by alleged members of Anonymous Philippines on the night of September 26.
 
"We would like to inform the public that neither the UP System website nor any website from a unit of the university was hacked on the night of 26 September 2012. Website traffic data, as well as reports from UP System Information Office personnel monitoring the situation that evening, show that the UP System website was available and accessible during the whole night," it said.
 
It added it understands the difficulties that come with restoring a defaced online domain, having had its site defaced by pro-Chinese hackers last April.
 
At the time, the Philippines and China were in the middle of a heated standoff at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. The Philippines refers to the area as Panatag, while China refers to it as Huangyan Island.
 
"The University of the Philippines, having been also a victim of hacking when the UP System website was defaced last April, understands the difficulties which come along with the restoration of a defaced online domain," the UP said.  — TJD, GMA News
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