Newly installed Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz is pushing for the regulation of content published on social media, saying the platform's unregulated nature has allowed misinformation to flourish and threaten national security.

In an interview with Malacañang reporters, Ruiz said they are studying the possibility of having a regulatory body in charge of social media, comparing it to regulatory systems such as the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) that already govern traditional media.

"Pinag-aaralan po natin yan na sana magkaroon. Kahit papaano. Lalo na doon sa mabibigat na issue na hindi katotohanan (We are studying the possibility of having that. Hopefully, something can be done, especially regarding serious issues that are not true)," he said on Monday, March 3.

"Sa movies may nagre-regulate, radio may nagre-regulate, TV may nagre-regulate. Eh, bakit natin pinapabayaan na puro fake news ang lumalabas sa online? Tama ba yun (There's regulation in movies, radio, and TV. Why are we allowing fake news to spread online? Is that right)? he added.

Ruiz likened the current state of social media to the "Wild, Wild, West," where misinformation can spread freely without accountability.

"Siguro panahon na tayo naman ay magkaroon ng regulatory, regulation— or at least, kung hindi man regulation, ipaalam sa mga vloggers, sa social media users na kayo po may responsibilidad din sa publiko (Maybe it's time we have regulation— or at least, if not regulation, we should inform vloggers and social media users that they also have responsibility to the public)," he said.

"Lying a thousand times drowns out the truth," he stressed.

The PCO chief likewise hinted at the possibility of legal action against those who spread false narratives, especially regarding sensitive issues like public safety, national security, and government announcements.

"Pag sumobra. Lalo na yung threat na to national security. Lalo na yun 'di ba (If it goes too far, especially when it threatens national security. Especially now, right)?" he said, citing bomb hoaxes and fake class or work suspensions.

"Pag-aaralan ko pa (I'll still study it), but, of course, we also have our legal team that will take care of that if, in case, sumobra (they go too far)," he added.

Meanwhile, Ruiz reminded social media influencers and bloggers to be mindful and to take greater responsibility for their content.

"Kung blogger ka man, social media influencer ka man, tanggap mo rin dapat na may responsibilidad— a greater responsibility to the public (If you're a blogger or a social media influencer, you should also accept that you have a responsibility— a greater responsibility to the public)," he said.

How does the PCO do it?

In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro urged the public to research first and check with the traditional media before believing in any information they see online, saying the traditional media verifies data before releasing them to the public.

"Hangga't maaari bago po maniwala sa mga sinasabi... total naman kayo ay gumagamit ng Internet ay i-research niyo muna. Mas maganda po na ang bawat papakinggan niyo ay i-research niyo through mainstream media (As much as possible before believing in hearsay, research first since you're already using the Internet anyway. It's better to check with the mainstream media)," she said.

"Kasi po pag sinabi nating mainstream media, ito po ay verified. ito po ay talagang inaaral bago po ito mailabas sa publiko (Because the mainstream media is verified. They validate first before publishing)," she added.

On the part of the PCO, Castro said they verify information first before claiming something as "fake news."

"Pag sabi po nating 'fake news,' alam niyo po na meron na kayong naging basehan. Fake news, alam na natin kasi may dokumento (When we say 'fake news,' we know because we have basis such as documents)," she said.

":So bago naman namin sabihin na 'fake news ' dapat meron po kaming batayan (So before we label something as fake news, we have to have evidence)," she added.

Last week, Castro said she is pushing for Congress to pass a law against troll armies, arguing that their activities should be considered a criminal act.

A troll army is a coordinated group of individuals who intentionally provoke, annoy, or harass others online by posting inflammatory, off-topic, or offensive content. They often aim to disrupt conversations or elicit emotional reactions for their own amusement or to push an agenda.

In an interview over State-run PTV-4, Castro compared troll operations to organized crime, saying they should not be protected under the constitutionally guaranteed right to free speech.

“Kinakailangan talaga na magkaroon ng batas patungkol sa mga troll army, dapat mayroon na itong penalty (There really needs to be a law against troll armies, and there should be penalties),” she said.

"Para na itong isang sindikato, dapat itong may penalty (This is like a syndicate, and it should have penalties)," she added, noting that while cyber libel laws exist, there are currently no legal provisions penalizing individuals proven to be part of a troll army.

According to Castro, trolls do not engage in free speech but are paid to spread false narratives dictated by their financiers.