Philippines asks Facebook to curb fake news, warns of legal move

[MANILA] The Philippine government has asked Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, to implement measures to curb the spread of “false and panic-inducing content” on its platforms, warning of possible legal action if the company fails to act swiftly.

The Presidential Communications Office said in a statement on Saturday that it had identified several categories of harmful content circulating online. 

They include fabricated documents about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and senior government officials, alleging their illness, incapacity and death, as well as misleading advisories about energy supply disruptions and military operations, and disinformation targeting financial institutions and payment systems.

In an April 10 letter jointly addressed to Meta chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg, the government gave the company seven days to respond with a detailed plan. “Failure to take prompt and sufficient action shall constrain the Philippine Government to consider appropriate regulatory and legal measures,” the letter said, according to the statement.

The circulation of disinformation violates provisions of the country’s penal code and cyber crime laws, and poses risks to public order, economic stability, and national security, it said. BLOOMBERG