Manila, Jan. 28 -- Cavite 2nd District Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla is pushing for the passage of a measure that seeks to create an oversight body tasked to ensure that social media is more transparent, responsible and safe.

House Bill (HB) 7300, or the Social Media Accountability Act, mandates the creation of the Social Media Accountability Council (SMAC), which will be tasked with setting basic safety standards, reviewing platform practices and ensuring compliance with national rules on digital safety and user protection.

Attached to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the proposed council will include representatives from key government agencies such as the DICT, National Privacy Commission, Department of...