Globe blocks over 65K child porn sites in three months

Leading digital solutions platform Globe has blocked over 65,000 illegal sites carrying child pornography in the first quarter of the year in line with the government’s all-out war against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) in the Philippines.

The number of URLs (Uniform Resource Links) promoting child pornography blocked by Globe jumped by 67.3 percent to 64,914 from January to March 2023, compared with 38,795 in the same period last year. Additionally, Globe blocked 559 domains hosting such illegal content.

In 2022, Globe blocked 399,540 URLs and almost 1,947 domains hosting child pornography, about 18 times the 22,371 web links closed in 2021.

“We understand that the internet can be a dangerous place, especially for children, and we are committed to using our resources to make it safer for all. Our partnerships with various organizations, investment in advanced filtering systems, and educational and awareness campaigns are essential steps in creating a safer online environment. We firmly believe that everyone has a role to play in protecting children’s innocence, and we are dedicated to doing our part,” said Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Bonifacio.

Globe has been clamping down on illegal sites since 2017 via the launch of the #MakeITSafePH campaign. Globe has invested $2.7 million in systems that filter content about child pornography, illegal gambling, and online piracy. It also educates consumers on rampant cases of OSAEC and how they can protect minors from such risks.

A study led by the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has tagged the Philippines as among the world’s leading sources of content rooted in OSAEC.

In response, Republic Act 9775, or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, mandates all internet service providers (ISPs) to install technology, programs, or software to ensure access to or transmission of child pornography will be blocked or filtered.

Globe is also working closely with government and non-government organizations in the fight against OSAEC, including UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).

The company also joined the UNICEF-led SaferKidsPH initiative to raise awareness of pressing and emerging OSAEC cases.