Digital Rights Round-up (October 1 to 31, 2026)
Digital Rights Round-up (October 1 to 31, 2026)
PH’S 95.8 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA USERS FACE FAST-CHANGING AI-DRIVEN INTERNET
The Philippines had 95.8 million social media user identities and 98 million Internet users in the latest country-specific digital report, underscoring the scale of the market as generative artificial intelligence reshapes how people worldwide find information and discover brands.
84% OF FILIPINO ADULTS ENCOUNTERED SCAM ATTEMPTS IN THE PAST YEAR
Scam losses were estimated at PhP 121.8 billion annually based on survey responses, not on verified or reported figures, the report showed.
SENATE APPROVES BILL RESTRICTING SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY MINORS
The Senate on Thursday approved on third and final reading a bill that would restrict social media use by children below 18 years old. In a 16-1-0 vote, the upper chamber approved Senate Bill No. 2424, or the Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (Smart Kids) Act.
DOJ: PHILIPPINES HAS YET TO CRIMINALIZE FOREIGN INTERFERENCE
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said the Philippines has yet to enact a law specifically defining and criminalizing foreign interference, pointing to gaps in existing espionage laws.
PH NEEDS MORE UNDERSEA CABLES, NOT JUST FASTER INTERNET – TECH EXEC
In a Facebook post, tech veteran Fernando Contreras Jr., former president of the Philippine Internet Services Organization (PISO), said the incident, which affected several major websites, online platforms, and companies, highlighted the country’s dependence on physical telecommunications infrastructure that remains susceptible to natural disasters, equipment failures, and deliberate attacks.
PH NEEDS TO MAP WORKERS POWERING AI AS TECHNOLOGY RESHAPES LABOR MARKET—EXPERT
The Philippines needs better labor-market data to identify often-invisible workers who power artificial intelligence (AI) and document their working conditions, an international economist said.
GORRICETA, GODIGITAL PHILIPPINES LEAD DIALOGUE ON CHILDREN’S ONLINE SAFETY AND DIGITAL RIGHTS
Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra, in collaboration with GoDigital Philippines, spearheaded a policy dialogue, bringing together government representatives, industry leaders, legal professionals, and other stakeholders to examine the proposed SAFE Kids and SMART KIDS Acts, as well as their implications for children’s online safety, platform accountability, and digital rights in the Philippines.
AGE CHECKS FOR CHILD SAFETY RAISE DATA PRIVACY CONCERNS
Checking children’s ages online could help keep them safe, but it also raises a question: How much personal information should websites and apps collect to prove someone’s age? Restrictions could affect children who use websites and apps to learn, create, and find information. Speakers said rules should consider what children do online and the different risks they face on each service.
PCO STEPS UP DRIVE VS FAKE NEWS
Communications Secretary Lino Cayetano has vowed to strengthen the government’s campaign against fake news and disinformation through closer cooperation with media organizations.
DATA SECURITY, PRIVACY REMAIN BARRIERS TO AI ADOPTION
Philippine businesses are increasingly embracing AI to boost productivity, but concerns over data security and privacy continue to hamper further adoption. A survey by Taiwan-based technology company Synology said that seven out of 10 respondents have cited data security and privacy among key challenges in AI adoption.
DICT CHIEF NAMES LAWYER AS CYBERSECURITY USEC AMID REORGANIZATION
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has appointed undersecretary Leandro Angelo “Dino” Aguirre to oversee cybersecurity and strategic initiatives as the agency reorganizes its leadership and prepares to convene the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).
ABS-CBN News Social Media Editor Erik Tenedero said online users should be wary not only of misinformation and disinformation, but also of games and trends that may seem harmless at first.
THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE NEWS: TRUST FALLS AMID CHANGING MEDIA HABITS
Trust in news in the Philippines plunged by 10 percentage points in 2026, the steepest decline among 48 markets surveyed, as fewer Filipinos expressed strong interest in news and more turned to social media and video platforms for updates, according to the Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2026.
FEWER FILIPINOS TRUST THE NEWS. CAN PH MEDIA WIN THEM BACK?
The press faces an immense challenge in reaching more people at a time when fewer Filipinos trust the news, interest is waning and social media has become the dominant gateway to information.
PBBM ASSURES PRESS FREEDOM, WARNS AGAINST FAKE NEWS
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday assured his administration’s commitment to protecting press freedom and journalist safety, while warning against the spread of disinformation, deepfakes, and artificial intelligence-generated content.
NPC CONDEMNS ARREST OF VETERAN JOURNALIST LUSTRE, RAISES PRESS FREEDOM CONCERNS
The National Press Club (NPC) has strongly condemned the arrest of veteran journalist and author Philip Lustre Jr., expressing serious concern over the circumstances surrounding his arrest and its implications on due process, press freedom, and the protection of journalists.
HALF OF CYBERATTACKS IN PHILIPPINES USED AI – STUDY
In a study, tech giant Cisco Systems Inc. said 59 percent of companies in the Philippines have the confidence to say they can detect and respond to a compromised AI agent.
PH REPORTS TAKEDOWN OF 250K ONLINE RECRUITMENT SCAM POSTS AT ASEAN FORUM
The Philippines reported to have helped take down about 250,000 online posts linked to fraudulent overseas job offers through partnerships with social media platforms Meta and TikTok Philippines during the 19th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labor (AFML) held from Oct. 14 to 15.
DE CLARO: BETTER INTERNET, FASTER LICENSING TOP DICT PRIORITIES
At his first flag-raising ceremony at the DICT headquarters in Quezon City, de Claro said the agency will work to make fast, affordable, and dependable internet accessible to every Filipino, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to improve connectivity nationwide.
GROUP URGES TRANSPARENCY, NOT CONTENT REGULATION, VS ELECTION LIES
At the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms’ hearing on Monday on four bills seeking to ensure the fair use of the internet, social media, and artificial intelligence (AI) during elections, the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) said it wanted to avoid a chilling effect, as defining misleading and false content would depend on the implementing agency and could touch on protected speech.
RANSOMWARE CLAIMS MORE THAN DOUBLE IN PHL
Public ransomware claims against Philippine organizations more than doubled in 2026 as cybercriminals increasingly turned to AI-enabled deception, social media impersonation and stolen credentials, according to a new report from Check Point Software Technologies.
PHILIPPINES STILL AMONG HOTSPOTS FOR CYBER FRAUD IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
THE PHILIPPINES is among the hotspots for cyber fraud in Southeast Asia, with nearly 80% of Filipinos exposed to scams, according to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foundation.
DILG CONVENES ASEAN MINISTERS AGAINST CYBERCRIME, ONLINE SCAMS
“Criminal networks are taking advantage of technology, economic integration, and cross-border connectivity. No single nation can answer that alone. It takes an ASEAN that is prepared, coordinated, and united,” said Remulla, who heads the Philippine delegation as ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC Leader) and chairs the meeting.
CYBERSECURITY AT ‘MACHINE SPEED’: AI ACCELERATES BOTH ATTACKS AND DEFENSES
Cybersecurity is entering a new cycle: attackers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to move faster, defenders are deploying AI to keep up, and those defensive systems are creating new risks of their own.
DND SUPPORTS RESPONSIBLE USE OF AI, REITERATES COMMITMENT TO CYBER RESILIENCE
The Department of National Defense (DND) strongly supports the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) for the nation’s security, and reiterated its commitment to beef up cyber resilience and preserve human judgement grounded in expertise and personal discernment.
PINOYS TRUST JOURNALISTS OVER VLOGGERS – SURVEY
In a non-commissioned survey by Momentum Research, the public opinion research firm found that 83 percent of Filipino adults get their news from journalists working for news organizations.
CRITICAL THINKING, REGULATION NEEDED FOR LEARNERS’ MEDIA SAFETY, LITERACY
In his speech, Angara emphasized the urgency to adopt flexible measures and apply policy changes in programs to protect children from violence, exploitation, mental health challenges and other negative impacts.
MENTAL HEALTH GROUP: SOCMED BAN ON MINORS A ‘NONSOLUTION’
The Philippine Mental Health Association Inc. (PMHA) on Friday said a blanket social media ban for minors is not a solution to preventing violent cases such as school shootings and keeping young people safe.
GROUP URGES STRONGER SOCIAL MEDIA SAFEGUARDS, NOT BAN
In a statement on Tuesday, national campaigner Ronald B. Gustilo said the bicameral conference committee should establish protections against grooming, exploitation and harmful content without limiting children’s digital participation.
GenderScoop
PNP-WCPC RESCUES 16, NABS 2 IN ANTI-ONLINE CHILD ABUSE OPERATIONS
The Philippine National Police – Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) rescued 16 victims, and arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the online sexual exploitation of minors during separate operations in Rizal and General Santos City.
PCW SEEKS SWIFT REFERRAL PATHWAY TO CURB VIOLENCE VS WOMEN IN POLITICS
The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) on Tuesday called for the formation of a rapid referral pathway in the government to immediately address concerns of violence against women in politics (VAWP).
NEARLY 500,000 FILIPINO CHILDREN EXPLOITED ONLINE AS FOREIGN DEMAND FUELS ABUSE
Nearly 500,000 Filipino children were trafficked in 2022 to produce child sexual exploitation material for profit, with paying customers abroad helping sustain a form of abuse that can be carried out inside the very homes where children should be safest.
ASEAN UNITES AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN ONLINE SCAMS
The discussions focused on trafficking linked to fraudulent online recruitment, scam compounds and forced criminality, in which victims are coerced into committing crimes, including online fraud.
LESSONS FOR THE PHILIPPINES: AI CONTENT SURGE BYPASSED BRAZIL’S ELECTION RULES — REPORT
Brazil’s experience is a warning for the Philippines: without strong safeguards and accountability, AI-generated disinformation can undermine electoral integrity and voters’ ability to make informed choices ahead of 2028.
HONTIVEROS FILES SENATE BILL SEEKING TO PENALIZE VIOLENCE VS WOMEN IN POLITICS
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, in filing Senate Bill No. 2567, said it is high-time to address the online and offline violence suffered by women in politics, noting that many of them—whether candidates to elective positions, elected or appointed officials, members of political parties, campaign volunteers, and advocates face a constant evolving form of abuse and violence.
CHR HOLDS MEDIA TRAINING TO PROMOTE GENDER-RESPONSIVE REPORTING AND JOURNALIST SAFETY
Organised by the CHR Strategic Communication Division (SCD), the training sought to strengthen gender-responsive reporting while addressing the distinct risks faced by media workers because of their gender and intersecting identities. It covered gender-based harassment, gender-fair language, trans-sensitive reporting, and laws protecting women and LGBTQIA+ persons. Media practitioners also shared experiences and discussed risks encountered in newsrooms and field assignments.
5 WOMEN NABBED IN MAKATI POGO HUB RAID
Among those arrested was “Rose,” the office supervisor who was the subject of the search warrant. The four others were allegedly administrative assistants or housekeeping staff. Seized during the operation were 13 computer system units, 50 monitors, 29 mobile phones, five laptop computers, a network video recorder, a digital video recorder, USB flash drives, a hard drive, a modem router, online betting cards, and SIM cards.
APPLE’S NEW APP STORE RULE 2.5.19 TARGETS ‘NUDIFY’ APPS, AND DEVELOPERS CAN LOSE THEIR ACCOUNTS
Apple has stopped tiptoeing around “nudify” apps. In a revision published on Friday, October 16, the company wrote the ban into its App Review Guidelines in plain words and tied the penalty to the developer account, not just the app.
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