MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has officially backed the call for social media giant Meta Platforms Inc. to implement more aggressive safeguards against fake news and online disinformation.
The support comes after a joint initiative by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which formally petitioned Mark Zuckerberg’s company to tighten its monitoring of harmful content targeting the Philippine government and public order.
The move was triggered by findings from the PCO’s Anti-Fake News Desk, which identified a surge in coordinated disinformation campaigns targeting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and other top-tier officials.
- Formal Petition: The DICT and PCO sent a formal letter to Meta urging a massive boost in safeguards, particularly on Facebook, which remains the country’s most dominant social media platform.
- PNP’s Stance: PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. emphasized that existing platform policies are currently “insufficient” to handle the volume of false information circulating daily.
- Cybercrime Context: Drawing from recent investigations, the PNP noted that many content creators are deliberately masquerading as legitimate news outlets to incite public anger and disorder.
Gen. Nartatez addressed the common defense of “freedom of expression” used by purveyors of disinformation:
- No Absolute Freedom: “There is no absolute freedom of expression. It always comes with a responsibility anchored on the basic rule that one must not step on the rights of others,” Nartatez stated.
- Rule of Law: The PNP chief warned that when responsibility is ignored and rights are violated, the rule of law will be observed, hinting at potential legal actions against malicious online actors.
The government is urging the public to be more discerning and proactive in the digital space:
- Fact-Check Before Sharing: Citizens are encouraged to verify information through official government channels or reputable news organizations.
- Report Harmful Content: Use the reporting tools on social media platforms and file formal complaints with the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) if the content constitutes a crime.
- Digital Literacy: The DICT is ramping up its digital literacy programs to help Filipinos identify “deepfakes” and AI-generated disinformation, which have become increasingly prevalent in 2026.
As the Philippine government waits for a formal response from Meta, the PNP has committed to continuous “cyberspace monitoring” to protect the public from the real-world consequences of digital lies.