Manila: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Monday lauded Meta — the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads — for accelerating the take down of election-related disinformation to within an hour. In a statement, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda commended Meta’s quick response and called for its continued vigilance against disinformation even after the May 12 polls.

According to Philippines News Agency, Aguda emphasized that this urgency must continue beyond the elections. He noted that the DICT and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) will keep monitoring Meta’s efforts and expect the same proactive approach against all forms of harmful and misleading content. Aguda further stated that the move follows the directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to secure the country’s cyberspace.

He also urged other social media platforms to align with Marcos’ vision of a ‘digital bayanihan’ in combating other forms of malicious and harmful content online in cooperation with the government. ‘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 Friday, the inter-agency ‘Task Force KKK (Katotohanan, Katapatan, Katarungan) sa Halalan’ launched a new threat monitoring center aimed at combating online disinformation and other election violations. The facility, located at the CICC office in Diliman, Quezon City, houses analysts from different government agencies tasked with identifying and investigating election disinformation on various digital platforms for subsequent takedown.