The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is asking Facebook to grant its consumer protection group access to its database of online sellers. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez says this will help the agency go after bogus online sellers and traders on social media. Only enforcement authorities have access to the data as of the moment.

“Now that we have a growing e-commerce activity in the country, isa ‘yun [consumer protection] sa dapat palakasin nila [Facebook], ipaalam nila, dapat lumaki ‘yung consumer awareness dito sa mga programs nila on consumer protection,” says Lopez via ABS-CBN News.

Lopez also noted that they are currently coordinating with Google and e-commerce platforms Shopee and Lazada to aid micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in shifting to digital operations. DTI aims to provide MSMEs a right and wider exposure for their products. There are around 13,000 local establishments registered with Google, which provides them with access to a variety of business solutions and listing in widely used apps.