Senate approves bill requiring SIM card registration with provision to 'unmask trolls'

Subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.

The STAR / File

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate unanimously approved on third and final reading Thursday a bill that would mandate all public telecommunications entities to require subscribers to fill out a registration form and produce a valid identification card before purchasing a SIM card. 

At their final plenary session of the year, senators voted 22-0-0 to approve Senate Bill No. 2395 or the proposed SIM Card Registration Act which seeks to eradicate criminal activities aided by mobile phones, the internet or other electronic communication devices.

These criminal activities include terrorism, text scams, unsolicited indecent or obscene messages, bank fraud, trolling, hate speech, and the spread of digital disinformation or fake news. 

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/12/16/2148422/senate-approves-bill-requiring-sim-card-registration-provision-unmask-trolls