Politics · Philippines Bureau
De Lima backs Meta data sharing with gov't if aimed at security threats
Human rights advocate Leila de Lima says Meta's decision to share user information with Philippine authorities is acceptable if used to combat threats rather than enable surveillance.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Veteran human rights advocate and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Representative Leila de Lima has endorsed Meta's plan to share user data with the Philippine government, provided the information is deployed solely for countering security threats.
De Lima, speaking on Friday, distinguished between data-sharing arrangements that serve legitimate national security purposes and those that could facilitate government surveillance of citizens. She emphasized that the critical factor determining the acceptability of such information-sharing is the stated intent and operational scope of the arrangement.
The position reflects growing debate in the Philippines over the balance between digital security and personal privacy as technology companies expand their cooperation with state authorities. Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram globally, has faced mounting pressure from governments worldwide to provide user data for law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations.
De Lima's remarks come as the Philippines continues developing its regulatory framework governing technology companies' interactions with government agencies. The human rights advocate's conditional support suggests potential middle ground between absolute privacy protections and unrestricted state access to user information, though implementation details and oversight mechanisms remain subjects of ongoing discussion.