Cyber patrols to be intensified vs online ‘grooming’

MANILA, Philippines — Cyber patrols will be enhanced to detect online “grooming,” recruitment and other activities exposing minors to violence or criminal behavior, according to the National Capital Region Police Office.

The NCRPO has directed the regional anti-cybercrime unit to monitor online communities, threats, recruitments, calls for violence, games and other digital platforms that may expose minors to excessive violence or encourage dangerous activities.

Police operations will not target legitimate online gaming or the youth’s usage of technology, but the misuse of digital platforms to manipulate or recruit minors.

School shootings have occurred in Tacloban, Zamboanga and South Cotabato in the last three months.

The NCRPO urged parents, guardians and teachers to monitor children’s online activities, including their private chats, gaming communities and social media groups.

“Know what your children are watching, who they are communicating with and what online
 communities they are joining,” NCRPO officer-in-charge Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano said yesterday.

“Our objective is prevention. We want to detect threats before they become real-world violence,” he added.

People should not circulate videos, photos, threats or other sensitive material related to violent incidents, the NCRPO stressed.

Police will coordinate with the Department of Education, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), schools, parents and other agencies to prevent online exploitation and other cyber-enabled threats.

Reddit, Discord reps

The CICC has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to online forum Reddit and messaging platform Discord to designate representatives and establish a physical presence in the Philippines.

Threatening a nationwide ban for noncompliance, the CICC clarified: “We are not asking platforms to police the internet for the government, but to be reachable, accountable and responsive when activities on their platforms put Filipino children and communities at risk.”

Reddit and Discord should join an integrated inter-agency framework to dismantle networks creating, soliciting, distributing and monetizing online child abuse and its materials, the CICC said.

To bolster compliance, the CICC has requested the Department of Foreign Affairs to facilitate high-level diplomatic and coordination meetings with Reddit, Discord, Meta and other social media networks operating in the country.

Palace open to Big Tech congressional franchise

Malacañang is open to a bill requiring social media firms to obtain a congressional franchise and subject them to Philippine laws.

Rep. David Suarez has filed a bill classifying online social networks as public services that must secure a franchise from legislature.

“That (bill) is being discussed and that is what the Department of Information and Communications Technology proposes, so that as much as possible, we can have jurisdiction and authority over these social media platforms. So that is a good proposal,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said yesterday.

Under House Bill 4786, the DICT and National Telecommunications Commission will have regulatory and oversight functions over social media entities, which will be required to have a local presence in the country.

Castro refuted Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement blaming the Marcos administration for the school shootings.

“It is not true that the government is not doing anything… We cannot force someone to understand the situation if he or she is unwilling to understand or just can’t understand,” Castro said. — Rainier Allan Ronda, Alexis Romero, Evelyn Macairan