Palace says no Facebook ban for now as Meta continues cooperation with government

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
August 28, 2026

Photo courtesy: Investopedia

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang clarified Thursday that there is no move to ban Facebook in the Philippines for now, citing the platform’s continued cooperation with government efforts to remove violent content and misinformation.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration remains open to studying tighter regulations for social media and other digital platforms amid concerns over their possible harmful effects, particularly on young people.

“Wala pa naman po kasing bina-ban,” Castro said, stressing that proposals involving social media restrictions are still being studied.

Citing information from the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, Castro said Facebook has been responsive to government requests, particularly in taking down content involving violence, misinformation and disinformation.

She said Facebook’s cooperation is a positive sign and clarified that the government does not intend to automatically ban platforms simply because they fail to immediately respond to authorities.

The Palace, however, said the administration would continue looking into online platforms, including gaming applications, that may expose young people to violent or otherwise harmful content.

Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants social media companies and other digital platforms to work with the government in addressing online risks rather than resorting immediately to outright bans.

The clarification came two days after Malacañang said it was open to considering restrictions, including a possible ban, if social media platforms were found to pose serious risks to the public or failed to address harmful content. The earlier remarks followed a CICC proposal to consider banning Facebook amid concerns over misinformation and violence linked to online activity.

For now, Castro said the government is not experiencing significant problems in dealing with Facebook, as discussions continue on clearer rules for social media platforms operating in the country.