Philippines and Meta Clash Over Disinformation: Government Demands Action, Tech Giant Cites Free Speech

The Philippine government and Meta are locked in a battle over disinformation. ICT Secretary Henry Aguda revealed that Meta has agreed to decrease the reach of posts the government deems false. This follows Meta's earlier rejection of a request to remove a fake memo, citing freedom of expression concerns. "Meta is now agreeing that when the government sends them something that says, ‘This is fake news,’ they will demote it in their feeds," Aguda stated. PCO Secretary Jay Ruiz added that Meta had previously rejected a similar request. Meanwhile, lawmakers, primarily allies of the Marcos administration, questioned Duterte-linked bloggers for disseminating misinformation. The incident underscores the ongoing struggle against disinformation in the Philippines and the complex relationship between tech companies and governments in regulating online content. The government's actions raise concerns about potential censorship, while Meta's response highlights the challenges of balancing freedom of expression with the need to combat fake news.