Here's the new reality in the Philippines: Sharing a link, clicking 'Like' on Facebook, or retweeting a message could land you 12 years in jail.
The Cybercrime Prevention Act, which just came into effect, is so broad and loophole-ridden that a wide range of online activity could be considered libelous. Even if you don't write the material, just sharing it with someone online could land you in prison.
In the face of this unjust law, Filipinos have been protesting in the streets and online to stand up for their rights. With elections just around the corner, we've been told that many politicians are downright scared of a national and international backlash, giving us the opportunity to convince them to junk this law for good. And we know there's nothing like an election to get politicians to listen.
With the Supreme Court slated to take up the constitutionality of the law on Tuesday, silent, non-violent protests will be held on Oct. 9 -- called Black Tuesday. With broad and unjust cybercrime laws being enacted around the world, we need to fight them one by one. That's why it's critical that the international community stands together on Black Tuesday.
