Hontiveros seeks establishment of legal entities for social media platforms to boost accountability
Senator Risa Hontiveros of the Philippines has called for social media and internet platforms to establish local legal entities and maintain in-country representatives. This move aims to enhance accountability for harmful content, particularly that targeting children. The senator’s remarks follow concerns raised by Senator Erwin Tulfo regarding the proliferation of violent and graphic content, including images and videos related to school shootings, on social media platforms. Hontiveros also advocated for stronger regulation of platforms’ business models, specifically their use of virality for profit and content dissemination. Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III supported these calls, emphasizing the need for platforms like Meta to strictly enforce community standards, drawing parallels to traditional media’s self-regulation during sensitive events such as the September 11 attacks.
The Philippines is moving to compel social media companies to establish local legal entities and appoint in-country representatives. This initiative, spearheaded by Senator Risa Hontiveros, directly addresses the challenge of holding platforms accountable for harmful content, especially that affecting children. The focus extends beyond content moderation to scrutinizing business models that exploit virality for profit, a mechanism Hontiveros argues amplifies the spread of damaging material. This policy push reflects a growing regional trend where Asian governments seek greater control and oversight of global tech platforms operating within their borders. For companies like Meta, this could mean increased operational costs and a more direct legal exposure to local regulations in the Philippines. The comparison to traditional media’s self-regulation, as noted by Senator Vicente Sotto III, suggests a desire to impose similar ethical standards on digital platforms, potentially setting a precedent for how other Southeast Asian nations might approach platform accountability.
