Facebook, Lazada told to stop sale of text blasters in the Philippines

[MANILA] The Philippine government ordered Facebook, Lazada Group and Sea's Shopee to stop selling unregistered portable mobile phone transmitters, which a local media said may be used by politicians campaigning for the May 2022 elections.

The National Telecommunications Commission said the sale of these equipment, which can send text messages to nearby mobile-phone users, violates the law on radio control as well as an order prohibiting the use of portable cellular mobile repeaters.

The machines were being sold for as much as US$59,25 each in online shops, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on Oct 10, saying that political groups could be secretly using them.

The NTC told the online shops to stop selling the device marketed as "Hitech SMS Blaster" and their representatives to appear before the commission on Oct 27, according to the regulator's Oct 11 order.

The equipment may not be sold, bought or used except by the disaster management council and other authorised state agencies in times of emergency, NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios said in a mobile-phone message.

Lazada has removed the products highlighted by the NTC, a company spokesman said, adding that it won't hesitate "to take strong actions against parties found involved in illegal activities."

Earlier this month, the NTC ordered an investigation into emergency text blasts announcing the presidential bid of ex-senator Bongbong Marcos as the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was filing his candidacy. The camp of Marcos said on Oct 6 that it supports the probe.

BLOOMBERG