PCO Plans New Website to Let Public Report Fake News

The Presidential Communications Office is preparing to launch a new website where the public can directly report fake news circulating online. The move is part of the government’s growing response to the spread of misinformation on social media.

According to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, the platform will allow netizens to flag misleading content, which authorities say will be reviewed and acted upon. She added that cases involving disinformation may also lead to legal action against those responsible.

The announcement comes as online fake news continues to circulate, including claims about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s health and accusations involving edited or “recycled” photos posted on official pages. Government officials have denied these claims and called them misleading.

Castro also stressed that many of the false stories online are aimed at the current administration, including issues related to government response in areas like the Middle East situation. She described these narratives as untrue and part of a wider disinformation problem.

In a related move, Dave Gomez recently asked the Department of Justice to file cases against individuals behind a Facebook page allegedly spreading fake information. The posts reportedly included fabricated warnings such as an “energy lockdown,” a supposed fuel shortage meant to trigger panic buying, and even a false claim about a lockdown linked to a nonexistent health variant.

These types of posts, according to officials, are designed to mislead the public and create unnecessary fear or confusion.

Meanwhile, the agency also faced online criticism after netizens noticed that parts of a photo from a government meeting were blurred. The PCO later clarified that this was part of its usual procedure and eventually released an unedited version of the image.

As misinformation continues to spread online, the government says it is stepping up efforts to track and address false claims more quickly through both digital tools and legal action.

(via Philippine News Agency)