For every working Filipinos abroad, boredom, weariness, isolation, and other kinds of emotional struggles are certain to happen. To get connected with the outside world and socialize back home, the social media is the most accessible and easily available for a quick escape from the reality. Every person with a social media account can do whatever they want with their own pages. Everyone can pretend to be someone whom they’re not or show off something that they don’t really have.
What makes the social media account unhealthy is when one becomes addicted to their own fantasies. Just because you get a “like” or a response from other socmed users, it doesn’t mean that you are already getting famous. I can write a lot of subtopics under socmed fantasies, but what I really wanted to point out is the kind of fantasy that makes the user become irresponsible, or the exposure of the user to liability, harm, or loss. Allow me to be specific and straightforward in expressing my perspective.
In the ARTICLE 152.1 in the Civil Code of The Russian Federation, it speaks about the PRIVACY of every Russian Citizen regarding the use (and misuse) of photographs (and videos) by other people other than the owner. The exposure of any Russian citizen in social media that is done by another person is AGAINST THE LAW.
In the ARTICLE 3, number 152-FZ (under “Personal Data”) states that PUBLISHING OF PHOTOGRAPHS (AND VIDEOS) OF SOMEONE ELSE’S CHILD IS PUNISHABLE BY THE LAW.
Violation of these 2 laws will put in trouble anyone (no exception) and will face punishment under the Liability Code in ARTICLE 13.11.
Going back to the subject of social responsibilities, this article is written to directly communicate with fellow Filipinos who are either ignorant of the law, or simply stubborn and prideful and hates to be informed. Let’s be brutally honest here, social media can become a poison to anyone who feels isolated, troubled, and unsettled. And it’s even a more dangerous poison to anyone who are desperately seeking for attention. Russian children are a great sight to anyone’s eyes. Who can resist the cuteness of a laughing child or a playful little angel? But be mindful that YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO EXPOSE THESE CHILDREN IN SOCIAL MEDIA. If you work as a nanny and you truly love the child that is under your care, then please, PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF THE CHILD. Protect the identity of the family who employs you and pays you for your job.
I narrated to some leaders of The Filipino Community an incident in the town of Pavlovo, Nizhniy oblast, that a non-Russian posted her selfie in social media that angered the family of the child. In her statement, she stated that she posted the photographs after she asked the permission from the father of the child. But unfortunately it was the grandmother who made the complain and she was arrested. The point here is, any family member can make a complain.
Another case was in Saint Petersburg when a non-Russian nanny in the park was talking to her friends via video call while carrying the child in her lap. A concerned citizen passed by and witnessed how the nanny was asking the child to wave at the camera. She was arrested on the same day. Her reason was very shallow: The nanny simply wanted to be cute and so she exposed the child to the public. The point here is, any concerned Russian Citizen can make a complain.
These are just a couple of situations where any “thinking” Filipino must have picked up a valuable lesson. The reasons for persecuting the illegal exposure of children are very obvious. A Filipino is easily amused by any cute child, lalaking pogi, or magandang babae, and how it’s very irresistible not to show off these photos and videos in social media. But most of these irresistible photographs are shared because it makes the socmed user feel cute too. The only way for them to gain attention and look good in socmed is by including a good looking child.
Let me reiterate that I am not a leader of any Filipino Community here in Russia, and I’m also not an influencer nor a leader of a big organization. I’m writing this out of concern for my fellow Filipinos no matter how irritating, arrogant, and hard headed you are. For what I always know about Filipinos, you are smart people, and smart enough to understand these laws. Please give guidance to the very few who cannot digest these laws, or simply need an assistance in understanding what was written here.
Once again I wish to firmly say this: “Kung talagang mahal mo ang inaalagaan mong bata, pakiusap, protektahan mo ang kaniyang privacy. Kung mahal mo ang pamilyang sinisilbihan mo, pakiusap, protektahan mo ang kanilang private life. Kung mahal mo talaga ang iyong trabaho dito sa Russia, magpakita ka ng utang na loob sa pamilyang nagtitiwala sa iyo. Maswerte ka kung hindi ka nila isinusuko sa awtoridad kahit mayroon kang problema sa iyong mga dokumento. Magtabaho po tayo ng maayos, at huwag po tayong makakalimot na tumawag sa ating Panginoon”.
Step Forward 