PLDT intensifies fight vs child porn, blocks over 2,900 sites

Local telco giant PLDT recently shared that the company is ramping up its efforts to protect children from online predators by blocking over 2,900 websites liked to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

Photo from the Smart website

Fight vs child pornography!

To even beef up cyber defenses against these crimes, PLDT added that it is constantly working with the Philippine government as well.

For quick reporting of online sexual abuse and exploitation fo children, PLDT and Smart have also provided connectivity and technical assistance to the PNP text hotline 7444-64.

Angel Redoble, Chief Information Security Officer and First Vice President at PLDT, ePLDT and Smart noted that hackers have also increased their activities since the start of the quarantine, In July alone, our cyber security operations center has blocked more than 12 billion attempts by our subscribers to open compromised pages. That's more than 24 times the total attempts blocked in the first quarter of the year.

To provide a safe online environment for children, PLDT said that the company is actively working with other players in the industry. Just last month, the Philippine Chamber of Telecom Operators (PCTO) urged the government to amend RA 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, citing “conflicting” provisions.

In their position paper submitted to the Department of Justice, the group pointed out Section 9 of the law that obliges internet service providers to notify authorities within seven days from discovery that any form of child pornography is being committed using its server or facility. The provision requires them to install a software or use available technology that will block or filter any content that promotes these illicit materials. But the same section also prohibits ISPs from monitoring any user or peeking into their messages, thereby nullifying and preventing them from performing their duties as required by the law. Furthermore, RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Law does not allow ISPs to actively monitor content as this violates right to privacy.

Parallel to protecting children on the internet, PLDT also said that it has doubled down on keeping its subscribers safe from malicious activities. 

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Source: Smart