Meta Expresses Willingness to Collaborate on Social Media Regulation in Philippines

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In a recent hearing with the Philippine House Tri-Committee, Meta, the social media giant behind Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, signaled openness to engaging in discussions about potential regulations or a regulatory body for social media platforms in the country. This move comes as part of the Philippine government's broader effort to combat the spread of disinformation online.

 

Rafael Frankel, Meta’s director of public policy for Southeast Asia, attended the committee's fourth hearing, where he outlined Meta's current strategies for managing misinformation. While Frankel did not commit to supporting a regulatory body outright, he confirmed Meta's willingness to collaborate with the Philippine government and Congress on any disinformation-related regulations being considered.

 

Highlighting Meta's broader regional engagements, Frankel noted the company's ongoing collaboration with Southeast Asian and Asia Pacific countries to develop regulations that uphold information integrity while safeguarding freedom of expression. He emphasized Meta's readiness to share insights about effective strategies and challenges faced in other regions.

 

 

 

The hearing also touched on accountability for content spread on Meta platforms. When asked if Meta should bear responsibility for content shared on its platforms, Frankel emphasized the responsibility of individuals posting misinformation, while noting Meta's efforts to balance free speech with online information integrity.

 

Meta relies on third-party fact-checkers—such as VERA Files, Rappler, and Agence France-Presse—to verify online claims. Despite plans to phase out this fact-checking program in favor of community notes—a crowd-sourced approach to flagging misleading content—Frankel assured that the existing system will remain in place until community notes are implemented globally.

 

While no specific legislation has been filed yet regarding the inquiry into disinformation, the House Tri-Committee continues to explore suggestions, including creating a digital council to regulate social media and establishing ethical guidelines for content creators. Meta's participation in these discussions marks a step towards potential new regulatory frameworks governing social media in the Philippines, reported PhilStar.

 

-- 2025-04-08