Palace hopes Facebook exercises prudence in removing accounts

Malacañang expressed hope that Facebook would exercise prudence in its actions, particularly in taking down accounts. (PCOO file photo)

MANILA – Malacañang expressed hope that Facebook would exercise prudence in its actions, particularly in taking down accounts.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the comment after Facebook announced its decision to remove over 100 fake accounts linked to police and military units for alleged involvement in “coordinated inauthentic behavior.”

“We hope the social media giant would exercise prudence in all its actions to remove any doubt of bias given its power, influence and reach,” Roque said in a statement on Wednesday.

Roque said the taking down of the fake accounts is a matter that the government leaves to the “sound judgement and discretion” of the popular global social networking firm.

“We are one in advocating the truth and dismissing disinformation, lies or hatred,” he said.

In an online press conference on Tuesday night, Facebook cybersecurity policy chief Nathaniel Gleicher said fake accounts allegedly managed by police and military agencies revolved around criticism of the opposition, activism, and communism.

Gleicher added that the accounts have been most active when talks about the Anti-Terrorist Act of 2020 started in 2019.

Both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have disowned the fake accounts.

PNP Spokesperson Col. Ysmael Yu tagged as “unofficial and unauthorized” comments, opinions of individuals and groups not related to the agency’s activities.

He also emphasized that official Facebook pages of PNP adhere with standards.

AFP spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said all of the military’s social media accounts are “up and running”.

He added that the AFP upholds “truth and accountability of network and social media account managers” as regards the content of posts on their websites, pages, and accounts.