House summons Mark Zuckerberg to DICT hearing on Social Media Safety in PH
House Calls on Meta CEO Zuckerberg to face DICT in hearing on Social Media Safety.
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| Photo of Mark Zuckerberg from Britannica |
Performative or the right call?
The House of Representatives has called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to appear alongside the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for a House hearing on social media safety, the DICT announced in a Facebook post.
The hearing is expected to address concerns over harmful online content, platform accountability, and measures to strengthen online safety for Filipino users.
The call comes as House leadership has deferred the DICT's budget pending the resolution of longstanding concerns involving Meta.
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| DICT press photo |
In a statement, the DICT said it acknowledges and supports the House's position, crediting lawmakers' questioning during budget hearings with pushing the agency toward improved public service and accountability.
DICT Secretary Henry R. Aguda said the department recognizes the House's oversight authority. Among the issues raised, according to the DICT, are Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM), which it described as serious threats requiring decisive action.
These concerns, the department added, are compounded by other harms linked to major platforms, including online illegal gambling, cyberbullying, social media addiction, and related mental health risks affecting children and young people in the Philippines.
Unlike other technology platforms, it is credited with cooperating with authorities and making measurable progress on user safety, Meta has not met its stated responsibilities on youth safety, the DICT said.
Given the scale of Meta's services, the department said, comes a corresponding obligation to implement effective safeguards, remove harmful content, and cooperate transparently with Philippine authorities.
According to the DICT, the safety of Filipino children must remain a priority, and technology companies operating in the Philippines should be held to high standards of responsibility. Continued failure to address these risks, it warned, undermines public trust.
Moving forward, the DICT said it will continue working with Congress, law enforcement, child protection advocates, and technology partners to strengthen online child protection measures.
Child protection is a non-negotiable priority, the department reiterated, adding that all stakeholders—particularly large platforms—should be held accountable.
As of writing, Meta has not issued a public response to the House's call for Zuckerberg to appear at the hearing.
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