Poe wants Senate probe on social media standards after anti-Marcos posts taken down

Senator Grace Poe on Friday said the Senate public information committee will look into existing social media standards after reports that Facebook briefly took down a post containing details of a supposed draft compromise agreement on the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth.

In a statement, Poe said some netizens have also complained about their posts dealing with controversial issues being removed for allegedly not complying with Facebook’s “community standards.”

“This is a matter that we believe should be looked into in the next hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media on the proliferation of fake news, or in a separate inquiry if necessary,” Poe said.

“We need to know the clear guidelines of social media organizations in handling the activities of their users, and make sure that these neither infringe on the individual’s right to freedom of speech and expression nor allow the abuse of such freedom,” she added.

It was reported that Facebook has already apologized for briefly taking the post of Gang Badoy-Capati.

Capati’s post referred to the draft compromise deal submitted by Marcos loyalist Oliver Lozano.

Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said his family has no knowledge about a compromise agreement on their wealth, and that Lozano does not represent them in any way.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has also denied that the Duterte administration has reached a deal with the late strongman’s heirs as regards the family’s wealth. — Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/RSJ, GMA News