FORTY-NINE million Filipinos are active on TikTok. That’s 41 percent of the population. Though there is double the number of subscribers on Facebook, the engagement in Tiktok is far reaching and more influential, according to social media experts.
There is a lot of disinformation on TikTok. In 2022, a TikTok influencer named Joey Toledo posted a slew of videos that appealed to Bongbong Marcos supporters.
The appeal of that video—with Juan Ponce Enrile and Bongbong Marcos talking about the “peace and security” in the Philippine during Martial Law over nearly 100,000 views and shared countless of times. The creator, in a report in Time Magazine, said he created the content for the virality. He admitted these videos were unverified, but he created them anyways purely for monetization. That account and most of its false content does not seem to be on TikTok anymore.
TikTok’s algorithm deprioritizes content that has been tagged as disinformation.
To battle disinformation expected to proliferate during the May 2025 elections, TikTok has launched a comprehensive initiative to protect election integrity. Called the “Philippine Elections Center,” the in-app feature developed in collaboration with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), and the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) provides users with access to reliable and trustworthy information about voting, ensuring they have the necessary resources to make informed decisions during the election period.
The Elections Center directs users to verified election-related content through in-app search prompts, offering centralized information on voting procedures, polling locations, key election dates, and other essential details. This ensures that users are guided to credible sources when interacting with election-related content or conducting relevant searches.
“We have 21 fact checkers globally to report violating posts. These are reputable partners,” said and TikTok’s Public Policy Manager Peachy Padernal. “But we also have machine systems and human moderators, that complement all of that. First, we have machines systems that flag content that may be violative, then human moderation comes in and that is when a decision is made.”
“Collaborating with TikTok for the Philippine Elections Center is a significant step toward ensuring that voters have access to accurate and timely information. Social media has become a primary source of information for many Filipinos, especially younger generations like Gen Z and millennials. Through this partnership, we reaffirm our commitment to promoting voter education and empowering citizens to participate in the electoral process with confidence,” said COMELEC Chairperson George Erwin Garcia.
To safeguard election integrity, TikTok has implemented several measures including the removal of harmful misinformation about civic and electoral processes and collaborates with fact-checking partners to assess the accuracy of content. The platform has also prohibits political ads and labels claims that cannot be verified.
Accounts belonging to politicians, governments, or political parties are also barred from monetizing content. Users are encouraged to report misleading information through the Philippine Elections Center in -app reporting tool, enabling swift action against content that violates the platform’s policies.
TikTok’s efforts are part of a broader strategy to prevent the spread of misinformation and promote digital literacy.
NAMFREL National Chairperson Angel S. Averia, Jr. welcomed TikTok’s initiative as a valuable tool for promoting transparency and educating Filipinos on their electoral rights and responsibilities.
“As misinformation and disinformation continue to challenge elections, we are excited to build on our collaboration with TikTok, which began in 2022, and work toward deepening our partnership for the 2025 elections and beyond. We are hopeful that this continued collaboration will contribute to promoting election integrity ahead of the 2025 National, Local, and 1st BARMM Parliamentary elections through digital literacy and ensuring a space for Filipinos to have access to credible and verified information,” remarked LENTE Executive Director Atty. Ona Caritos.
TikTok also launched the #ThinkTwice Digital Literacy Campaign. This initiative encourages users to think critically about the content they create and share, further underscoring TikTok’s commitment to fostering a responsible online environment where users are empowered to report misinformation and contribute to the integrity of digital discourse.