FEU forum urges shared social media regulation

The FEU Public Policy Center Foundation Inc. convened policymakers, industry leaders, civil society organizations, media practitioners and academics for a forum on social media regulation and information integrity on May 5, 2026, at Far Eastern University Manila.

The forum, titled “Democracy in the Digital Age: A Multi-Stakeholder Discussion on Social Media Regulation in the Philippines,” focused on the need for shared responsibility in addressing disinformation and regulating digital platforms.

Participants said no single legal, technological or behavioral solution would be enough to confront information disorder in the country’s fast-changing digital environment.

FEU Public Policy Center Chairperson Dr. Edilberto C. De Jesus opened the discussion by framing social media regulation as a question of balance.

“You’re trying to balance between two values, the protection of the rights of the public, but also the protection of journalists,” De Jesus said.

He said this tension lies at the center of continuing debates over how the Philippines should regulate social media while protecting democratic freedoms.

From the legislative side, Rep. Nathaniel “Nat” Oducado of 1TAHANAN Party-list discussed the range of proposals being deliberated in Congress.

The proposals cover issues such as disinformation, artificial intelligence and platform regulation.

Oducado acknowledged the limits of legislation in responding to rapidly evolving online harms.

“Congress cannot catch up with what’s happening on the ground. This field cannot be regulated by law alone,” he said.

He said public participation and responsible digital behavior are also critical to addressing disinformation.

“Before clicking, sharing, or sending something, we must require every Filipino to first think,” Oducado said.

Kankan Ramos, lead author of FEUPPC’s discussion paper “Disrupting the Disorder,” said disinformation should be understood as part of a wider system shaped by platforms, incentives and user behavior.

“Disinformation – it’s not just about content; it’s a system,” Ramos said.

She said responses should move beyond isolated interventions and consider the broader ecosystem that allows false or misleading information to spread.

Ramos also called for collaborative solutions grounded in local realities.

“The challenge is not whether to regulate, but how to co-regulate,” she said.

Atty. Mark Goriceta reinforced the need for a holistic approach to social media governance.

“These are not purely legal problems, they are behavioral, cultural, and systemic ones,” Goriceta said.

He warned that poorly designed laws may lead to unintended consequences, especially when legal definitions are vague.

“Fake news is extraordinarily difficult to define, vague definitions invite selective enforcement,” he said.

Cristina Lopez of the Foundation for Media Alternatives said regulation must be rights-based and inclusive.

“The question is not simply whether we regulate disinformation, but how, for whom, and at what cost,” Lopez said.

She said policies must protect freedom of expression while addressing real harms caused by disinformation.

Lopez also warned that regulatory approaches must be designed carefully to prevent them from being “weaponized to silence communities speaking truth to power.”

Journalist and UP Diliman lecturer Yvonne Chua emphasized the complexity of information disorder.

“Information disorder is not an easy subject to organize. It cuts across politics, journalism, education, law, public relations, advertising, culture, and everyday online behavior,” Chua said.

She said addressing the problem requires an understanding of its systemic nature.

Chua said efforts must consider “creators, audiences, platforms, incentives, and social conditions,” instead of treating disinformation as isolated cases of harmful content.

Across sectors, participants agreed on the need for a multi-stakeholder approach involving government, platforms, media, civil society, academia and the public.

Discussions highlighted the need to combine legislation, platform design reforms, media and information literacy, and stronger institutional support systems.

The forum comes as the Philippines continues to confront disinformation, online manipulation and digital governance challenges in elections, public policy debates and civic life.

Advocates have long warned that weak accountability mechanisms, opaque platform systems and low media literacy can worsen the spread of false or misleading claims online.

The FEUPPC forum underscored that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to social media regulation.

Participants said meaningful progress will depend on sustained dialogue, shared accountability and coordinated action across sectors.