Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Screenshot of Bulatlat suspension page. Via Bulatlat

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Social media giant Meta on Friday disabled the Instagram pages of alternative media publication Bulatlat and one of its editors, sparking calls to reinstate them on the platform.</p><p>Meta suspended Bulatlat&#x27;s Instagram page on Aug. 7 for allegedly violating “community standards on fraud and deception.” Bulatlat said the suspension stemmed from an <a href="https://www.bulatlat.com/2025/07/27/locals-fight-back-against-growing-zionism-in-siargao/">article</a> about the behavior of Israeli tourists in Siargao published July 27.</p><p>&quot;Bulatlat disputes Meta’s claims that our account has violated their community standards on fraud and deception,&quot; Bulatlat said in a statement. </p><p>&quot;It is hypocritical for Meta to accuse us of false reporting when it has allowed trolls and other harmful forces to dominate its platform.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/6/17/rise-in-harmful-content-since-meta-policy-rollbacks-survey-1337"><strong>Rise in &#x27;harmful content&#x27; since Meta policy rollbacks: survey</strong></a></div><p>Its managing editor Anne Marxze Umil’s Instagram and Facebook pages were also suspended at the same time.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>META: NO MORE APPEAL</strong></div><p>Bulatlat appealed the suspensions but Meta, evening of Friday, said the account is no longer visible and will be permanently deleted. </p><p>It also said Bulatlat can no longer request another review.</p><p>The publication said it has written to Meta Philippines to request the account’s reactivation.</p><p>Bulatlat condemned the censorship and said Meta should “walk the talk as it claims to be a champion of media freedom.”</p><p>“We view this as an attack on our right to publish, and more importantly, an attack on the people&#x27;s right to access truthful, critical, and relevant information,” it said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/4/27/pr-industry-group-condemns-fake-accounts-disinformation-on-west-philippine-sea-1422"><strong>PR industry group condemns fake accounts, disinformation on West Philippine Sea</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>APPEAL FOR REINSTATEMENT, CONDEMNATION OF CENSORSHIP</strong></div><p>The People’s Alternative Media Network (AlterMidya), of which Bulatlat is a member publication, on Sunday called on Meta &quot;to immediately reinstate Bulatlat&#x27;s Instagram account and respect the role of independent media in a democratic society.&quot;</p><p>Altermidya added: &quot;We urge fellow journalists, press freedom advocates, and the public to stand in solidarity against censorship and in defense of the people&#x27;s right to know.&quot;</p><p>The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on Saturday denounced the deletion of Bulatlat’s social media page, saying  “while community standards are in place to protect users from actual threats like fraud, these should not be used to censor legitimate news from legitimate and long-established sources of information.”</p><p>It added: “The loss of a channel for Bulatlat&#x27;s content is a loss for critical viewpoints and for discourse on human rights, self-determination, and people&#x27;s issues.”</p><p>This is not the first time that an independent media’s pages have been blocked.   </p><p>In 2022, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered internet service providers to block 26 independent media and progressive groups’ websites, including Bulatlat, for its alleged links to communist rebels.</p><p>Bulatlat filed a petition for a temporary restraining order against NTC’s order, but was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/07/13/22/court-denies-bulatlat-tro-plea-vs-order-to-block-websites">denied </a>by a Quezon City court.</p><p>The websites reactivated two months later, after the court granted Bulatlat’s petition for a preliminary injunction for NTC to stop blocking them.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/13/atom-araullo-wins-civil-lawsuit-vs-badoy-celiz-1921"><strong>Atom Araullo&#x27;s civil suit win vs Badoy, Celiz &#x27;opens option for victims of red-tagging&#x27;</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PRESS FREEDOM IN PH</strong></div><p>The Philippines’ rank in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index has <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/2/press-freedom-in-ph-improved-but-global-state-of-journalists-falls-to-difficult-for-first-time-1537">jumped </a>from 134th to 116th out of 180 countries — its highest ranking in 21 years. </p><p>While Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported that there have been fewer violent attacks on the media this year, the country remains to pose a “difficult situation” for journalists, it said.</p><p>Community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio has been detained for over five years for alleged illegal possession of firearms and financing terrorism, which RSF said were charges based on fabricated evidence.  </p><p>RSF added Cumpio and other activists were also charged with “double murder” and “multiple attempted murder” of two soldiers.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/01/28/24/un-rapporteur-visits-detained-rights-defenders-journalist"><strong>UN rapporteur visits detained rights defenders, journalist in Leyte</strong></a></div><p>The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has also repeatedly accused independent media organizations, alongside progressive groups and individuals, of being linked to communist rebels.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/2/chr-launches-independent-probe-into-killing-of-journalist-johnny-dayang-1438"><strong>CHR launches independent probe into killing of journalist Johnny Dayang</strong></a></div><div> </div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lKRA3cCCj7o?si=H0BNLzge3ySTwtaP" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>"Bulatlat disputes Meta’s claims that our account has violated their community standards on fraud and deception," Bulatlat said in a statement. "It is hypocritical for Meta to accuse us of false reporting when it has allowed trolls and other harmful forces to dominate its platform."</p>

"Bulatlat disputes Meta’s claims that our account has violated their community standards on fraud and deception," Bulatlat said in a statement. "It is hypocritical for Meta to accuse us of false reporting when it has allowed trolls and other harmful forces to dominate its platform."

Meta disables alternative media outlet Bulatlat’s Instagram page

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Meta disables alternative media outlet Bulatlat’s Instagram page

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 10, 2025 02:22 PM PHT

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