Why is the DICT Writing To Mark Zuckerberg?
The Department of Information and Communications Technology has written a letter to Facebook and Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg imploring him to boost its efforts against widespread fake news on its platform.
DICT chief Henry Rhoel Aguada announced this on Wednesday (July 30) during a post-State of the Nation Address on Wednesday, raising concerns over the alarming reports of fake information on social media. He said the agency wrote to the CEO of the social media giant two weeks ago.
Aguada noted that the agency’s letter highlighted the need for Facebook to make good on its original goal to “connect people and bring people together.”
“Because right now, it’s actually because of fake news that we are falling apart. That’s what we asked Mr. Mark Zuckerberg for,” the DICT secretary said. “We saw Facebook’s action recently, just like with illegal online gambling. They were quick to talk to their influencers, saying, ‘If you endorse something illegal, you might get fired.’ So we’re listening.”
The DICT earlier said that it is continuously working with civil society actors and private sector representatives to deter and combat fake news. “We hope that we will eventually be able to curb fake news. We will start with the big social media platforms,”
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Based on a 2024 study by political consultancy firm Publicus Asia, about 62 percent of Filipinos get their news from social media, specifically on Facebook.
The Presidential Palace has been pushing for the creation of a regulatory body to monitor fake news and to weed out troll armies that operate through dummy accounts.
Senate President Chiz Escudero earlier cited the necessity to strike a “good balance” in drafting laws countering fake news and upholding basic rights of free speech and expression.
Under the 1987 Constitution, “no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press… In this regard, Congress should not pass a law that contradicts this.”
Philippine congressmen have pushed for the passage of a bill to curb misinformation on social media citing false narratives surrounding the Philippines’ claims in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard in April reported that it had seen an uptick in fake news campaigns targeting Manila’s claims in the disputed waterway, as tensions with China continue to simmer.
Under a bill earlier filed by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, anyone found guilty of maliciously publishing false information and operating troll farms could face up to 12 years in prison and a P500,000 to P2 million fine.
The DICT has not yet given an update about whether Zuckerberg or a representative from Meta has received the letter and what the tech company's response is to it.
