MANILA. Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz has urged Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to take stronger measures against fake news, stressing that platforms must not allow disinformation to thrive unchecked.
Speaking at a House tri-committee hearing on Thursday, Ruiz shared his concerns about Meta’s refusal to remove misleading content, even when government agencies have verified it as false. He cited an incident involving a fabricated memo supposedly from the Office of the Executive Secretary, which continued to circulate online despite a certification from the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT)’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) confirming it was fake.
“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,” Ruiz 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 underscored the negative impact of fake news on public trust and government efforts to address the people’s needs, adding that platforms like Meta must ensure their networks are not used to mislead the public. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has also emphasized the need for accurate information to help Filipinos benefit from initiatives such as the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” program, which offers PHP20 per Kilo of rice to promote food security and social support.
Citing Singapore’s approach to digital accountability, Ruiz said social media platforms there can face fines of up to 6 percent of their revenue for hosting disinformation, an example the Philippines could consider.
“May penalties against social media platforms na kapag nagpapalabas ka ng fake news, you will be penalized. Ang tinitira nila ang penalties mataas, 6 percent of profit ang ginagawa nila,” he said.Ruiz also warned of the dangers fake news poses to democracy, particularly during elections.
“E paano kung ang tao binabase niya ang decision niya sa mga fake news o kasinungalingan? Isipin mo kung ang mga botante natin boboto base sa impormasyon ng kasinungalingan. Anong klaseng generation, anong klaseng democracy meron tayo?” he continued.
“Eventually, our people will no longer decide based on informed decisions, but based on lies. We agree that there is a right to information, but that right should be accurate information,” he added.
Roy Tomandao
Si Roy Tumandao ay kasalukuyang pangulo ng Camp Vicente Lim Press Corps. Nagsimula siya sa larangan ng media noong 1992 at aktibo bilang photo journalist at news correspondent para sa iba’t ibang tabloid. Broadcaster siya ng DZJV 1458 Radyo Calabarzon.
- Roy Tomandao
- Roy Tomandao
- Roy Tomandao
- Roy Tomandao
