Curbing fake news falls on Meta's hands, PCO chief stresses

MANILA, Philippines — It is the duty of social media giant Meta to prevent the spread of the spread of disinformation and misleading content online.

This is according Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz, who underscored the crucial role of Facebook and Instagram’s parent company in combating fake news.

Ruiz shared the insight during Thursday’s hearing of the House tri-committee investigating fake news and online disinformation, saying that even the government is defenseless when Meta refuses to take down false content.

He cited an incident where a supposed memo falsely attributed to the Office of the Executive Secretary was circulated online.

According to Ruz, Meta refused to take down the content despite a certification from the Department of Information and Communication Technology’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center that it was a fake memo.

“Alam mo sir, hindi nila tinanggal. Ang reason ng mga platforms is that ito is freedom of expression, may community standards kami, ang bawat isang user, siya ang accountable to his or her account,” the PCO chief  said.

“So ano ito? Are we at the mercy of the platforms? Sabi namin hindi kayo dito naka-base, hindi pa kayo nagbabayad ng buwis, and yet you don’t regulate or stop fake news here in the Philippines,” he added.

Ruiz emphasized that the dissemination of false narratives undermines public trust and can distort the government’s efforts to address the people’s needs. He noted that platforms like Meta must act responsibly and proactively in curbing fake content that misleads the public.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had underscored the importance of providing accurate information to ensure the public can fully benefit from government programs, like the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” program, which offers PhP20-per-kilo rice as part of the administration’s efforts to promote food security and social support.

Ruiz noted that in Singapore, online platforms may be subject to penalties of up to 6% of their revenue should they be found responsible for disseminating disinformation, an approach that underscores the country’s firm stance on digital accountability.

“May penalties against social media platforms na kapag nagpapalabas ka ng fake news, you will be penalized. Ang tinitira nila ang penalties mataas — 6% of profit ang ginagawa nila,” he said.