Manila: In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to combat fake news and ensure that the public receives accurate and reliable information, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz underscored the vital role of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, in preventing the spread of disinformation and misleading content online. During a hearing of the House tri-committee investigating fake news and online disinformation on Thursday, Ruiz shared his observation that even the government is defenseless when Meta refuses to take down false content.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ruiz recounted an incident where a supposed memorandum falsely attributed to the Office of the Executive Secretary was circulated online. The PCO chief said Meta refused to take down the content despite a certification from the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT)'s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) that it was a fake memorandum.
'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 (You know what, sir? They did not take the post down. The reason of the platforms was freedom of expression and that they have their community standards and that each user is) accountable to his or her account,' Ruiz said. 'So ano ito (What is this)? Are we at the mercy of the platforms? Sabi namin hindi kayo dito naka-base, hindi pa kayo nagbabayad ng buwis (You are not even based here and do not pay taxes here), and yet you don't regulate or stop fake news here in the Philippines."
Ruiz said the dissemination of false narratives undermines public trust and can distort the government's efforts to address the people's needs. He said platforms like Meta must act responsibly and proactively in curbing fake content that misleads the public.
President Marcos pointed out 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 said that in Singapore, online platforms may be subject to penalties of up to 6 percent 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 percent of profit ang ginagawa nila,' he said.
Ruiz also warned of the profound consequences of unchecked fake news on the country's democratic process, especially during election periods. 'Eh 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? (What if a person bases his or her decision on fake news or lies? Imagine if our voters would vote based on fake information. What kind of generation and democracy do we have?),' he said.
'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."
