Manila: Malaca±ang said Thursday that Facebook remains responsive to government concerns, particularly in addressing fake news, but stressed the need for clearer rules governing social media platforms. According to Philippines News Agency, citing information from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), Castro said Facebook remains cooperative in addressing problematic content aimed at spreading misinformation and disinformation.
Castro noted that based on the latest information, the government is not currently experiencing significant problems in dealing with Facebook. 'Ang Facebook ay tumutugon naman daw po sa mga dapat na gawin, especially sa mabilisang pag-takedown ng mga fake news (Facebook is reportedly responding to what needs to be done, especially in the swift takedown of fake news),' she said.
Castro also clarified her earlier statement about President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s openness to a possible ban on social media platforms promoting harmful contents. She said the administration does not intend to ban all social media platforms simply because some may be unresponsive to government concerns. 'Hindi po ito ibig sabihin na kapag naman 'yung iba na mga social media platforms ay hindi tumutugon ay lahat naman po ay dapat na ma-ban. Hindi po iyon ang nais ng ating Pangulo at ng ating administrasyon (This does not mean that if some social media platforms fail to respond, all of them should be banned. That is not what the President and our administration want),' Castro said.
Castro, however, said the discussion should also serve as a warning to other platforms, particularly gaming applications that harm young Filipinos and may potentially contribute to their violent behavior. She said the government is looking into how social media platforms respond to concerns involving misinformation and harmful content, noting that those that fail to act appropriately could face scrutiny.
The administration, she said, remains open to studying measures to address the negative effects of social media and other online platforms, particularly on the youth. 'Ito po ay isang hudyat na rin para sa ibang mga lumalabag, lalong-lalo na iyong mga gaming apps na alam natin na nakakaapekto sa ating mga kabataan na maaring magdulot ng pagiging kanilang marahas at bayolente. So, 'yun lang po ang ating gustong ipahatid (This is also a signal to other violators, particularly gaming apps that we know can affect our youth and potentially cause them to become aggressive and violent. So, that is all we want to convey),' Castro said.
