Digital Pinoys urges Signal, messaging apps to aid cybercrime probes

A network of digital advocates is calling on online messaging platforms to cooperate with lawful cybercrime investigations and ensure their services are not used to facilitate illegal activities.

Digital Pinoys National Campaigner Ronald Gustilo said platforms should be prepared to respond promptly when investigations involving accounts allegedly linked to cybercrime are initiated.

“Messaging apps like Signal should immediately preserve available account registration data and connection records of accounts under lawful investigation. These are the standard non-content data points that help investigators trace organized scam operations,” Gustilo said.

Gustilo was quick to clarify that such requests are targeted and limited in scope, and do not involve access to private messages, decryption, or any form of mass surveillance.

The statement comes after the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) requested the preservation of non-content data, specifically subscriber registration details and available connection logs, for certain Signal accounts being investigated for online fraud and identity theft.

The platform has allegedly declined to act on the preservation request.

“These requests were narrowly scoped, lawful, and focused solely on metadata that could help identify perpetrators and protect victims,” Gustilo said.

Digital Pinoys warned that delays or refusals to preserve time-sensitive data can result in the permanent loss of critical investigative leads.

“When preservation is not done immediately, digital trails go cold. This affects not only law enforcement but also ordinary Filipinos trying to recover stolen funds and hold cybercriminals accountable,” Gustilo added.

The group stressed that it fully supports end-to-end encryption and is not advocating for any weakening of existing security protections.

Instead, Digital Pinoys is pushing for rights-respecting cooperation protocols, which include timely preservation of available non-content data upon receipt of lawful requests, responsive law enforcement coordination channels, and faster action on accounts reported for large-scale scam activity.

“Encryption should protect citizens, not shield criminal infrastructure. There is a middle ground where privacy is preserved, and accountability is enforced,” Gustilo said.

The group also underscored the need for a whole-of-ecosystem approach to cybercrime prevention, encompassing stronger financial traceability, tighter controls on mule SIMs and accounts, and expanded public education on scam detection.

Digital Pinoys urged technology companies to engage constructively with Philippine authorities in developing standardized, transparent, and proportionate data preservation procedures consistent with human rights principles.

“Our goal is simple: protect users, respect privacy, and ensure that platforms are not inadvertently enabling organized cybercrime,” Gustilo said.