Only 1 in 3 children seek help for online abuse

QUEZON CITY – Only one in three children seek help when experiencing online harm, a Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) study found, as government and digital industry leaders gathered here Friday for a national summit on child online protection.

TdH NL, through its Creating a safer Online Environment for Every Child (CONEC) project co-funded by the European Union, hosted the National Summit on Child Online Protection and Responsible Digital Industry Engagement at the Novotel Manila Araneta City.

The summit was co-presented by the National Coordination Center Against Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM) Secretariat.

Findings from the Rainbows in the Dark study under Project CONEC revealed critical gaps in law implementation and service delivery in the country’s response to online sexual abuse or exploitation of children (OSAEC).

Stigma, fear of judgment, and limited trust in existing reporting mechanisms remain persistent barriers to help-seeking among child victims, the study found.

Girls and LGBTQIA+ children face heightened risks of online harassment, grooming, and sexual exploitation, according to the same study.

Artificial intelligence has also become increasingly embedded in children’s daily lives, shaping how they access information, learn about the world, and form and maintain relationships.

During a nationwide consultation conducted by TdH NL, children and young people raised growing concerns about AI-related risks, including deepfakes, exposure to sexual or violent content, the misuse or sexualization of their images, misinformation, and data privacy violations.

The resulting Children’s Position Paper on AI and Online Safety called for stronger accountability from the government, internet service providers, and technology companies to ensure that digital platforms are equipped with robust safety measures.

“We recognise the urgent and growing threat of OSAEC and other online risks. While Republic Act No. 11930 strengthens national mechanisms, law alone is not enough to protect children. Protection requires shifting power to those closest to the risks, children, families, and communities, while ensuring institutions and industry are accountable for how digital spaces are designed and governed. This National Summit is an opportunity to rebalance roles, strengthen shared accountability, and move from commitments to coordinated action that keeps children safe online,” said Anna Abelinde, Philippine Country Director of Terre des Hommes Netherlands.

Republic Act No. 11930, or the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act, was signed into law in July 2022 and is regarded as one of the country’s most comprehensive measures against digital child exploitation, imposing life imprisonment and heavy fines on offenders and requiring internet intermediaries to block and report abusive material.

The summit also aims to facilitate stakeholder consultation that will generate insights and recommendations for strengthening public-private cooperation, and to provide policy-makers with evidence-based recommendations to inform legislative oversight and future measures.

“The safety of children online is not the responsibility of one office, one agency, or one sector alone. Government must lead, but we must also bring the whole system together—law enforcement, prosecutors, child protection actors, digital platforms, telcos, financial institutions, civil society, and communities—so that our response is coordinated, practical, and felt by children on the ground. As online risks become more complex, especially with AI, deepfakes, grooming, and the misuse of children’s images, our laws and systems must move just as fast. This Summit is an important opportunity to deepen public-private cooperation and ensure that the digital spaces where children learn, connect, and express themselves are built with safety, dignity, and accountability at their core,” said DRP Barbara Mae Pagdilao-Flores, Executive Director of the NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM Secretariat.

The Philippines has long been flagged by international child protection groups, including the International Justice Mission, as a global hotspot for online sexual exploitation of children, with widespread English proficiency, deep internet penetration, and persistent poverty cited as enabling conditions.

Project CONEC is implemented by TdH NL with the support of the European Union Delegation in the Philippines and aims to protect children of all ages and genders from online sexual exploitation by strengthening local child protection systems. (TdH NL)