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De Lima asks Facebook anew: Take down fake stories against me


Detained opposition senator Leila de Lima on Sunday reiterated her long-standing appeal for Facebook to take down fake stories, audio, and clips against her as these are deliberate attempts to mislead the public and besmirch her reputation.

In a statement, the senator also called on the social media giant to "exercise some responsibility" for the content and posts it allows to be disseminated and shared on its platform.

"It has been a year since I last wrote a letter to Facebook expressing my concern over the continued proliferation of fake news that has been populating our social media, notably on Facebook, but the letter remained unanswered and unacted," De Lima said.

"As the world's most-used and largest social network, the people behind Facebook should take disinformation seriously, considering that not everyone is well-versed about the distinction between fake news, propaganda, satire and fiction." 

In a letter she sent to Facebook Philippines Country Director Digs Dimagiba last January 2017, De Lima addressed the continued re-distribution of fake stories and clips on the platform.

She also she expressed concern over the existence of "shadowy people" maintaining questionable accounts, deliberately tarnishing the name of some respectable people through disinformation disguised as legitimate news stories.

"These fake news stories have also mutated into fake videos and audio clips that have been recklessly shared and re-shared. Unfortunately, some of these fake news stories, videos and audio clips have found their way into our mainstream news media and consequently, confused the public between real and fake news." 

 De Lima also said that she attached in the letter a long list of the fake news peddled against her as distributed on Facebook.

Some of the fake stories include:

  • that she had stepped down as senator;
  • that she purchased a $6-million mansion in New York, USA;
  • that UK congratulating the Senate for ousting De Lima; and
  • that detained De Lima was hospitalized after attempting suicide.

Also, she reiterated that Facebook should find creative and innovative ways and means to end the malicious propagation of fake stories and stop their continued re-distribution.

"These fake news stories are negatively affecting our national discourse and public opinion," she pointed out. 

In January 2017, De Lima delivered a fiery privilege speech to denounce the unabated proliferation of fake news in the Internet and other social networking sites, where she likened fake news to a "virus" that could "bring about a zombie apocalypse." —LBG, GMA News

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