The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is studying whether to recommend blocking Facebook in the Philippines, citing concerns over misinformation and the protection of children from online abuse.
“The government has the capability to block the whole social media site,” said CICC Executive Director Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso.
The agency has taken an increasingly active stance on platform regulation in recent months. In April, the CICC told a Senate hearing on child protection that Roblox could still face a ban if it failed to meet commitments made to Philippine regulators.
Days before the Facebook statement, the CICC also sought the blocking of a website used to livestream the fatal Ateneo de Zamboanga University shooting on August 18, an incident that was also livestreamed on Facebook itself, and pressed the Senate for expanded legal jurisdiction over social media, messaging, and streaming platforms.
According to Paraiso, blocking Facebook would carry social and political implications. He said the CICC views a potential ban as a way to compel social media companies to comply with Philippine law and government directives, with the agency also developing additional regulations for social media platforms.
“We did this with Roblox, and they eventually complied with our guidelines,” Paraiso said.
No decision on blocking Facebook has been made. The CICC has said it continues to study the matter, and any recommendation would follow the same review process applied to prior platform cases.
