Surge in fake Facebook accounts 'very unusual' -NPC chief

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) on Tuesday said the proliferation of fake accounts in Facebook can be dangerous especially if an account is used without authorization.

Interviewed on Unang Hirit, NPC Commissioner Raymund Liboro said the surge of these fake accounts is "very unusual" in the experience of the commission.

"Sa karanasan ng NPC, unusual 'to. ‘Yung mga impostor account, dummy account, ‘yan ay bahagi na ng buhay sa loob ng Facebook. Pero ‘yung ganitong bugso ng mga reports, very unusual,” Liboro said.

"Kapag may mga fake o hindi awtorisadong mga accounts na lumalabas sa social medoa, may panganib na magagamit ‘yan na hindi awtorisado,” he warned.

Asked about the possibility of utilizing the fake account to plant evidence against a person, Liboro said the NPC has not encountered a case like this yet.  “Kung gagamitin ito, tatamnan ng ebidensya, wala pa tayong nakikitang ganung kaso,” he said.

According to Liboro, the perpetrators behind the proliferation of fake accounts can be traced and held accountable.

According to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the proliferation of the fake accounts in Facebook could be a result of some glitch. For Liboro, the NPC will wait for the findings of Facebook about the matter.

“It has become a global issue para din sa Facebook. So involved ang mga technicians ng Facebook mula America and Ireland,” he said.

Liboro expressed confidence that the issue is a priority for Facebook given that it will affect the image of the platform if it becomes instrumental to some irregularities.

The NPC commissioner advised users to take advantage of the  privacy options of Facebook for their safety. --KBK, GMA News