Tech giant Meta has agreed to share user data with Philippine law enforcement authorities, especially when there is an imminent threat of violence, Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Friday, August 28.

This comes after Meta’s top Asia-Pacific region policy officers held a roundtable meeting at its headquarters in Singapore to discuss the responsibilities of it platforms—particularly Facebook—on the spread of nihilistic violent extremism (NVE). 

Hontiveros said she sent representatives to join the Philippine delegation of key government officials to Meta’s meeting.

As their meeting was drawing to a close without agreement among the parties, Hontiveros’ camp pushed Meta to commit to sharing subscriber information and traffic data to Philippine authorities when there are indications of imminent attacks, to which the social media giant agreed to.

“Now that high-ranking Meta officials themselves have pledged to be more proactive regarding potential threats of violence, action against such threats must be swifter,” Hontiveros said.

“This is crucial, especially as we are currently pushing for the Child Online Safety and Protection Act, a priority measure of the government. Meta appears ready to tighten its safeguards, as we have already informed them that the bill is nearing passage,” the senator said.

Hontiveros is optimistic the agreement will come to play once Congress pass the Child Online Safety and Protection Act, which builds on the safeguards under Republic Act No. 11930 or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act authored by Hontiveros.

“I gave strict instructions to the staff who met with Meta: It must be made clear to them that they cannot profit from Filipinos on Facebook without taking responsibility for the content,” she said.

“We will hold them to their word," Hontiveros vowed.