Social media sites urged to be more proactive in taking down abusive online content

Social media sites should immediately take down cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation in their websites instead of simply responding to users' reports, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Tuesday.

Pangilinan made the remark during the Senate Committee on Women, Children and Family Relations on the measures seeking to address online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and electronic violence against women (E-VAW).

“There should be a more proactive response rather than just rely on reports. The difficulty with reporting as was earlier manifested in some of the experiences, it would take several months. But if there is a proactive immediate takedown response from Google and all other media platforms, it would be better,” Pangilinan said.

“Part of prevention is immediate takedown because it prevents the spread, prevent the potentially billions who would have access to that information that is private to one individual,” he added.

Internet giants Facebook and Google took part in the Senate panel hearing on Tuesday and reported on the same measures they are implementing to prevent cases of OSAEC and violence against women.

Facebook said that it has removed 5.4 million pieces of child nudity and sexual exploitation from their site, of which 98.8% had been removed even before being reported.

It added that it has 35,000 employees working on safety and security, with over 15,000 content reviewers to ensure immediate response to users' reports.

Meanwhile, Google said that 94% or 8.8 million of the videos taken down on its website were machine-detected, but there is no data focused on the Philippines available yet.

Pangilinan, nevertheless, said reports on the ground contradict the policies of these social media sites.

“The information we are receiving on the ground is that as soon as one is taken down, another one is just created and then the technology of bots and inauthentic behavior and are able to rise,” he said.

The senator stressed that OSAEC content should be immediately taken down, and relying on reports alone is "less than ideal."

"Relying on the citizens to be vigilant is great because they ought to be vigilant. But the technology out there is sometimes just too powerful and too overwhelming for one or two or more individuals to respond effectively,” he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the panel, earlier filed Senate Bill 2068, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Law, which seeks to impose penalties on private companies that do not comply with their obligations under the measure.

The measure likewise outlines the duties and obligations of Internet service providers, social media networks, financial institutions and intermediaries, and establishments or facilities to prevent incidents of OSAEC.

Internet service providers that do not give notice of exploitation on their services will be slapped a penalty of P2 million but not more than P5 million.

Meanwhile, social media networks that do not comply with their requirements will be penalized with a fine of P10 million, so will banks, money services, and other financial intermediaries not fulfilling their reportorial obligation as provided under the law. — BM, GMA News