MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has reached out to the United States government to facilitate direct communication with Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg over growing concerns regarding online child safety.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda revealed during a press briefing at the House of Representatives on Thursday, September 24, that the agency has been attempting to engage with the social media giant for over a year.
Despite sending two official letters to Zuckerberg and holding discussions with Meta’s Asia-Pacific leadership, the company has yet to finalize a proposed child safety agreement.
The DICT has already drafted a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining specific protection protocols demanded by the Philippine government. While Meta has reportedly agreed to the terms, it has not signed the document.
”Nakipag-usap na rin po kami sa Asia Pacific leadership nila dyan po sa Singapore,” Aguda stated on the sidelines of the plenary debates on the proposed national budget.
”Mayroon na po kaming draft MOU kung saan nandoon lahat ang mga safety protocols na nirerequest and dinedemand natin. Nag-agree po sila doon pero hanggang ngayon, gusto ko pong sabihin is publiko, yung drat na yun hindi pa rin nila pinipirmahan,” he added.
Addressing criticism regarding the government’s persistent attempts to reach Zuckerberg, Aguda shrugged off the negative reactions and clarified that the initiative stems from a desire to resolve the issue diplomatically through dialogue and due process.
However, the DICT chief warned that legal action remains an option if the platform continues to stall cooperation, pointing to existing billion-dollar class-action lawsuits and state-level settlements in the US and the European Union concerning youth social media addiction and harm.
”Eh tayo naman, sabi ko nga, kung ayaw makipag-usap, eh baka sa korte na lang tayo mag-usap para korte na magsabi, mayroon kayong pananagutan sa mga gumagamit ng Facebook, sa mga kabataan na na-adik, mga kabataan na naging biktitma. Baka doon po pumunta yun, sana hindi po,” Aguda said.
Despite the warning, Aguda reiterated that the Philippine government would still prefer securing Meta’s voluntary cooperation and commitment before taking legal measures.