Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has accelerated its takedown of election-related disinformation online as requested, the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) said on Monday.
Some of the dubious contents were removed within an hour, the department said.
This is in line with the directive from the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aimed at securing the country’s cyberspace.
In a statement, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda commended Meta’s quick response but also called for its sustained vigilance even after the midterm elections on May 12.
“We appreciate Meta’s swift response. But this urgency must continue beyond the elections. The DICT and CICC will keep monitoring Meta’s efforts and expect the same proactive approach against all forms of harmful and misleading content,” Aguda said.
CICC is the country’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center.
As part of the DICT’s vision of digital ‘bayanihan’ or civic duty and cooperation, Aguda also urged Meta and other social media platforms to join government efforts in stamping out malicious and harmful content online.
“Disinformation is a long-term threat. We call on Meta and all social media platforms to take part in our digital bayanihan and help protect the integrity of our online spaces—so that the internet stays filled with good vibes,” Aguda added.
On May 2, Aguda, his assistant secretary Renato Paraiso, and CICC director Rojun Hosillos met with Genixon David, Meta’s representative for regional engagement, to strengthen existing enforcement mechanisms and improve response timelines.
Hours before the election, key officials from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the DICT, and the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) doubled down on President Marcos’ directive to ensure a secure, credible and transparent election by fighting disinformation with the 24/7 Threat Monitoring Center.
The monitoring center employs a structured, multilayered approach to monitor and address digital threats, relying on a systematic process that includes three levels: analysts, supervisors, and investigators.
At the frontline, analysts from various agencies—including COMELEC, the National Bureau of Investigation , the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency , and the CICC—monitor reports of misinformation, disinformation, and the illicit use of technologies like deepfake videos, or any content that violates COMELEC Resolution No. 11064.
Resolution 11064 came into force on Sept. 26, 2024 It established regulations on artificial intelligence and social media in digital campaigns for the 2025 national and local elections, as well as the parliamentary elections for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
It mandated candidates and political parties to register all digital campaign platforms by Dec. 13, 2024, to ensure those campaign materials comply with the transparency requirements.
The resolution also encourages technology platforms and social media companies hosting political content to help remove unregistered platforms as well as monitor disinformation.
Non-compliance by candidates and their agents may lead to takedown requests, fines, or criminal charges.
