Glenn Chong’s advice to use UV-sensor app vs ‘pre-shaded ballots’ MISLEADING

A May 11 Facebook Live video of senatorial candidate Glenn Chong promoting a smartphone application that simulates ultraviolet (UV) light sensing, to help spot pre-shaded ballots is misleading.

The Senate hopeful’s recommendation comes two weeks after a staged video showing ballot ovals for Otso Diretso candidates supposedly marked with UV ink began to make rounds on the web. The ballot used in the staged video is fake.

Not all phone cameras can detect UV light, with low-cost UV sensors for phones only being recently developed. Others may also need to attach an external device for their phones to be capable of sensing UV light.

“UV Flashlight Camera Simulator,” the downloadable phone application Chong said was endorsed by the “International Police in Norway,” also has mostly negative feedback from users according to Google Play Store -- getting mostly one-star ratings. One former user even warned others from downloading the app because it asks users to allow the app to “share (their) personal information.”

Additionally, Commission on Election (Comelec) rules prohibit the use of cameras inside polling precincts, except for poll watchers.

See post by VERA Files here.

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