The Philippines' Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is gearing up to take legal action against major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, now called "X."
As first reported by Pilipino Star Ngayon, this move follows a surge in online scams and fraudulent activities proliferating across these platforms.
Philippines Watchdog Targets Social Media Giants
CICC's Executive Director, Alexander Ramos, affirmed their intent to file official complaints against these platforms, attributing the action to their failure in preventing online scams and protecting the public from various deceptive schemes.
"Hindi lang Facebook, tatlong platforms ang aming kakasuhan. Magpa-file kami ng official complaint na," Ramos declared, shedding light on the initiative to hold three major platforms accountable for their lack of action in safeguarding consumers.
[It's not just Facebook; we'll sue three platforms. We will file an official complaint]
The issue stems from a perceived reluctance by these social media giants to tackle the rising wave of fraudulent activities. Despite users' efforts to report scammers, there is a noticeable absence of robust preventive measures taken by these platforms.
Ramos emphasized the failure of these platforms to adhere to local laws governing online commerce and business operations.
"Sa rami ng ano namin dito eh hindi sila nagko-cooperate towards implementation of local laws natin. For them to operate lalong-lalo na pagdating sa negosyo, online commerce, dapat they should adhere to local regulations also," he stressed.
[They are not cooperating in implementing our local laws. Especially in online commerce, they should comply with our regulations]
Moreover, Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) underscored the government's authority to regulate foreign businesses operating within the country. She advocated for stricter monitoring of suspicious online seller posts and the imposition of fines to ensure compliance.
Alarming Rise in Online Scams
Back in September, the Philippine National Police - Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) presented alarming statistics before a joint Senate committee hearing (via Inquirer.net).
From January to August of the current year, over 8,000 complaints were lodged, citing losses exceeding P155 million due to various online scams.
Brig. Gen. Sydney Hernia of the PNP-ACG disclosed a breakdown of the scams, revealing that online selling and investment schemes topped the list regarding victims and monetary losses.
Online selling scams accounted for approximately P68.8 million (1.2 million USD) in losses, followed by investment scams totaling P5.9 million.
The report highlighted the prevalence of these scams across popular social media platforms, payment channels, messaging apps, and selling websites.
However, the challenge persists in tracking down perpetrators and obtaining crucial data from financial institutions, hindering the filing of cybercrime cases.
While efforts to bring scammers to justice remain robust, complexities in tracing and identifying these individuals and challenges in obtaining essential data have led to hurdles in pursuing legal action.
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