The Philippines’ House of Representatives has called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to attend a hearing on social media safety. Lawmakers want answers about harmful content on Meta’s platforms, particularly Facebook.
The call puts more pressure on Meta to explain how it deals with child sexual abuse, illegal gambling, cyberbullying, and other harmful content. It has also put the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in a difficult spot because the agency is being asked to answer for problems involving a private global technology company.
House leaders have delayed discussions on the DICT’s budget until concerns involving Meta are addressed. The department said it respects the House’s authority to review its work and supports efforts to hold large online platforms responsible.
The hearing is expected to look into how Meta protects users, particularly children, and how well it works with Philippine authorities. No hearing date was announced. It was also unclear whether Zuckerberg had responded or planned to attend.
The issue has also affected the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), whose proposed budget has been deferred by House leaders pending action on concerns involving Meta.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said in a statement posted on the department’s Facebook page that the concerns include the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children and the sharing of images and videos showing child sexual abuse.
The department also raised concerns about illegal online gambling, cyberbullying, social media addiction, depression, and other mental health problems affecting children and young people.
“With the enormous scale and reach of its services comes a corresponding obligation to implement effective, measurable safeguards, remove harmful content promptly, and cooperate fully and transparently with Philippine authorities. Accountability cannot be optional,” the DICT said.
The House action could bring closer government scrutiny of how quickly Meta removes harmful posts, responds to complaints, and provides information to law enforcement agencies. Lawmakers may also ask the company to show that its safety measures work for users in the Philippines.
The DICT previously urged Zuckerberg to act faster against fake news, deepfakes, and other harmful content. It also asked Meta to add more content moderators who understand the Philippine setting so reported posts can be reviewed and removed more quickly.
The department said it would continue working with Congress, law enforcement agencies, child protection groups, and technology companies to make the internet safer for Filipino users.