DICT slams YouTube’s snub of anti-fake news efforts

MANILA, Philippines —  Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda has expressed dismay over video-sharing giant YouTube’s continued snub of the government’s efforts to take down harmful content and fake news in the platform.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Digital Bayanihan Safety Summit yesterday in Manila, Aguda aired his frustration over YouTube’s failure to directly engage with the DICT on the local effort.

Aguda lamented that the government is forced to deal with YouTube through its affiliate, Google, which acts as an inadequate intermediary.

He said there are real-world concerns over harmful content not being taken down, or even when there is a delay in their deletion.

“For example, if there is an earthquake in the south, malicious actors can easily spread viral disinformation. By the time YouTube takes it down, it has already taken too long,” Aguda explained, saying that even joint emergency notices from the DICT and the Presidential Communications Office “take forever” to be processed by the platform.

“TikTok’s system really works because we rarely receive complaints about them,” Aguda said, noting that TikTok’s proprietary artificial intelligence now automatically detects and expels 98 percent of internet harm cases, leaving a mere two percent to human moderators.

Meanwhile, the DICT has recommended a minimum age requirement of 16 years old for social media access in the Philippines.