NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
TikTok Needs To Step Up: Lawmaker Slams Platform Over Fake News On Palawan
FILE
It’s one thing to deal with the usual social media noise, but when false claims start spreading that China owns Palawan—that’s a whole different level of dangerous. And according to 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, TikTok isn’t doing nearly enough to stop it.
During a House hearing on online disinformation, Gutierrez called out the platform for its reactive approach to fake news, saying it only takes action when harmful content is flagged—rather than proactively preventing false narratives from spreading in the first place.
The Problem? Same Fake News, Different Accounts
Gutierrez pointed out a frustrating pattern: misleading content gets reported and removed, but it quickly pops up again—just under a different user.
“For example, when we talk about fake news in relation to China, we see one video posted and, after being reported, it’s taken down—only to resurface from another account,” he explained.
This issue became even more concerning when the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed that disinformation about Palawan was being circulated using Chinese characters—raising suspicions of a coordinated propaganda effort.
PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela called it “a new kind of propaganda” and assured lawmakers that the government is working to counter it.
TikTok Defends Itself—But Is It Enough?
TikTok’s public policy manager Peachy Paderna defended the platform’s efforts, stating that between July and September last year, they removed over 4 million videos violating community guidelines—99.5% of them proactively.
She also said that 98% of flagged content was taken down within 24 hours.
But Gutierrez wasn’t convinced.
“It tends to be that once there is a narrative being pushed by bad actors, it gets taken down—then they just post it through another user,” he pointed out.
Beyond that, he also highlighted a bigger issue: the suppression of journalists covering the West Philippine Sea dispute, calling on TikTok to take stronger action against disinformation campaigns.
What’s Next?
Gutierrez urged TikTok to step up its content moderation, implement harsher penalties for repeat offenders, and take a more aggressive approach to shutting down fake news before it spreads.
During a House hearing on online disinformation, Gutierrez called out the platform for its reactive approach to fake news, saying it only takes action when harmful content is flagged—rather than proactively preventing false narratives from spreading in the first place.
The Problem? Same Fake News, Different Accounts
Gutierrez pointed out a frustrating pattern: misleading content gets reported and removed, but it quickly pops up again—just under a different user.
“For example, when we talk about fake news in relation to China, we see one video posted and, after being reported, it’s taken down—only to resurface from another account,” he explained.
This issue became even more concerning when the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed that disinformation about Palawan was being circulated using Chinese characters—raising suspicions of a coordinated propaganda effort.
PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela called it “a new kind of propaganda” and assured lawmakers that the government is working to counter it.
TikTok Defends Itself—But Is It Enough?
TikTok’s public policy manager Peachy Paderna defended the platform’s efforts, stating that between July and September last year, they removed over 4 million videos violating community guidelines—99.5% of them proactively.
She also said that 98% of flagged content was taken down within 24 hours.
But Gutierrez wasn’t convinced.
“It tends to be that once there is a narrative being pushed by bad actors, it gets taken down—then they just post it through another user,” he pointed out.
Beyond that, he also highlighted a bigger issue: the suppression of journalists covering the West Philippine Sea dispute, calling on TikTok to take stronger action against disinformation campaigns.
What’s Next?
Gutierrez urged TikTok to step up its content moderation, implement harsher penalties for repeat offenders, and take a more aggressive approach to shutting down fake news before it spreads.
Mar 23, 2025
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