Digital Rights Round-up (April 1 to 30, 2026) SENATE BILL SEEKS SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR USERS UNDER 16 A Senate bill filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian seeks to ban children under 16 from using social media, requiring strict age verification and platform safeguards to protect minors from harmful online environments. Read more
Understanding Technology-Facilitated Gender-based Violence (TFGBV) in the Philippines Understanding TFGBV in the Philippines Since 2012, the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) has documented 738 cases of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in the Philippines in its ongoing mapping effort. These cases were sourced from media reports, online correspondences from individuals, and Read more
The 20th Congress of the Philippines and Its Efforts Against Gender-Based Violence By: Shreya Menon, Alternatives Intern at FMA The 20th Congress of the Philippines, which commenced on July 28 2025, has introduced several legislative proposals aimed at addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in both physical and digital spaces. With the Read more
“Hey Friend”: Standing with Survivors of Online Abuse Digital spaces are essential for communication, self-expression, and connection, but they can also be unsafe, especially for women and gender-diverse people. Harassment, cyberstalking, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images are some examples of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) that harm victims’ safety, Read more
Digital Rights Round-up (March 1 to 31, 2026) FACING ONLINE ABUSE? GET HELP REPORTING IT TO THE RIGHT AUTHORITIES WITH THIS TOOL Newly launched platform, Gabay Tech aims to help Filipino victims and survivors of digital threats. FMA JOINS WOMEN’S GROUPS DEMANDING PERPETRATORS’ ACCOUNTABILITY ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026 Technological Read more
Digital Rights Round-up (February 1 to 28, 2026) SOCIAL MEDIA REGISTRATION TO BURDEN ORDINARY USERS, CURTAIL SPEECH — RIGHTS ADVOCATES Digital rights advocates are urging the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to scrap its planned mandatory identification verification for social media users, citing “serious effects” on free speech Read more
FMA Joins Women’s Groups Demanding Perpetrators’ Accountability on International Women’s Day 2026 The World March of Women – Pilipinas leaders filed an administrative and criminal complaint, based on several laws, against House Representative Jesus “Bong” Suntay after a series of sexually objectifying remarks against an actor, subsequently justifying the same Read more
2025 Year-End Data Mapping on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in the Philippines Gender-based violence remains a critical concern in the Philippines, affecting the safety, dignity, and rights of women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals. With the rapid expansion of digital technologies and online platforms, traditional forms of violence have increasingly shifted Read more
Love Month or Control Month? Confronting Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence February is the month of hearts, chocolates, and grand gestures of love. But for too many women and marginalized genders, it is also a stark reminder that love and intimacy in the digital age are not always safe. Behind the filtered Read more
Joint Statement Calling for the Immediate Scrapping of DICT’s Department Circular on Mandatory Social Media Verification We, the undersigned organizations and advocates for digital rights, express our apprehension over the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) draft Department Circular proposing mandatory identity verification for all social media users. Like Read more