FB’s takedown of fake news heads off socmed ban—Palace

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro in a press conference on August 27, 2026. (Courtesy: RTVM / Screenshots)

The Marcos administration has no immediate plan to ban Facebook after the social media platform reportedly responded to government concerns over the spread of fake news, a Palace official said Thursday.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said Facebook has been responding to government requests, particularly on the rapid removal of false information.

“After two days, we were informed that Facebook, in particular, has been responding to what needs to be done, especially the rapid takedown of fake news,” Castro said during a Palace briefing.

Castro said the administration’s openness to considering a ban should not be interpreted as a blanket threat against all social media platforms that fail to address government concerns.

“It is difficult to deal with them, and it does not mean that if other social media platforms do not respond, all of them should be banned. That is not what the President and the administration want,” she said.

Castro said the discussion should also serve as a warning to other platforms, particularly gaming applications that authorities believe could have harmful effects on young people.

She said the government remains concerned about platforms and applications that could contribute to violent behavior among minors.

The Palace official earlier said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was open to considering restrictions on social media platforms because of their potential negative effects on children and young people.

Castro said the issue was raised after concerns were identified by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

But Castro said the latest information indicated that the government was not encountering significant problems with Facebook at present.

“Even if the President is open to it, based on the latest information, our government is not experiencing much of a problem with Facebook at present,” she said. — Charles Dantes