The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) are pushing for quicker action from Meta to combat fake news, disinformation, and fake accounts, especially as the country approaches the May 12 national and local elections.
The coordination meeting between DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso, and CICC Director Rojun Hosillos, Genixon David, Meta’s regional representative, focused on improving current enforcement processes and speeding up how the platform handles harmful content.
“We’ve seen progress, and now, we’re working together to strengthen what’s already in place, with an emphasis on faster, more responsive action,” said Paraiso.
Meta reported that it has removed thousands of fake accounts and pages, some linked to foreign sources, due to coordinated inauthentic behavior. While the DICT recognized these efforts as helpful, it emphasized the need for faster action.
“Speed matters, especially when misinformation can undermine institutions or disrupt elections,” said Paraiso.
“Meta has a duty to ensure its platforms are not used to undermine democracy. Slow response times are not acceptable, especially during an election period,” said Aguda.
Push for local understanding and faster response
Aguda also pointed out the importance of understanding local culture and language when reviewing content.
“Filipino content carries cultural nuance — humor, sarcasm, regional dialects,” Aguda said. “Without deeper engagement from Meta’s moderation teams, critical context is missed, and legitimate content may be wrongly removed or harmful content can slip through. They need to invest in localized moderation and clear escalation channels.”
Other tech platforms have already implemented faster review processes, with 24- to 48-hour takedown timelines and dedicated communication lines during critical periods. Meta confirmed that it is reassessing its coordination strategy.
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