PLDT, Smart Participate in ASEAN Dialogues on Child Online Protection, Reaffirm Support to PH and the Region’s Plan to Combat Online Child Abuse

With the proliferation of online child abuse and inappropriate content accessed by children enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) participated in the 2024 ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Protection held in Bali, Indonesia and reaffirmed continuing support to the Philippine government in contributing to regional efforts to protect children online.

As industry leaders and representatives of the private sector in the Philippines, PLDT and Smart joined ASEAN governments, industry, non-government organizations, youth groups, and civil society in dialogues about the state of children online and the impact of emerging technologies on the safety and wellbeing of young people in the region. This is their third straight year of participating in this regional forum which underscores meaningful private sector participation in the fight against all forms of exploitation and abuse of children online.

An earlier study entitled “Disrupting Harm” by ECPAT International, INTERPOL, and UNICEF revealed that 20% of Internet-using 12–17-year-olds in the Philippines have been subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation online. In another report, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) noted an increase in child sexual abuse images generated through AI on the clear web, in addition to over 3,500 of those uploaded on the dark web in 2023. The IWF also noted the circulation of AI-generated child sexual abuse videos which use adult pornographic videos and add a child’s face using AI tools.

While these risks continue to affect young people across Southeast Asia, ASEAN member states have crafted a regional plan of action that calls for an integrated and collaborative approach towards ensuring the protection of children online.

“As we in the ASEAN strengthen our plan of action to protect children online, we highlight the vital role of the private sector, including PLDT and Smart. We are confident that if we close ranks, both government and industry can work hand-in-hand to put an end to this social menace.”, said Professor Elizabeth Aguiling-Pangalangan, the Philippines Children’s Rights Representative to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children.

In response, PLDT and Smart’s President and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a statement, “We heed the regional call for action and commit to continue engaging with the Philippine government and the ASEAN community to enable holistic solutions and reinforce measures to combat abuse and exploitation of children. PLDT and Smart regard child protection as a business imperative and will remain steadfast in promoting and ensuring the wellbeing of children online.”

PLDT and Smart have been supporting the Philippine government in the enactment of legislation to combat crimes against children online, including the Republic Act (RA) 11930 or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Law. The telcos have also pioneered the deployment of a child protection solution that detects CSAEM and has blocked more than 1.5 million URLs and online content linked to OSAEC since June 2021.

To raise awareness and help prevent AI-generated OSAEC and CSAEM, PLDT, and Smart have been engaging parents and local communities in dialogues and learning sessions on child protection, cybersecurity, and digital parenting. The telcos also support national reporting mechanisms on child rights violations by enabling connectivity for the Council for the Welfare of Children’s Makabata Helpline 1383.

As the Philippine government enforces RA 11930 and fosters cross-border and cross-sectoral collaborations on measures against OSAEC and CSAEM, PLDT and Smart actively participate as private sector stakeholders in technical working group discussions of the Manila International Dialogue on Human Trafficking by the National Coordinating Center against OSAEC and CSAEM (NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM) and the Department of Justice Interagency Council Against Trafficking.

“The fight against OSAEC and CSAEM requires a collective and multi-sectoral response. We laud PLDT and Smart for continuously using their voice and technology to support the government in raising awareness and strengthening measures to protect our nation’s children,” said NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM OIC Executive Director Atty. Barbara Mae Flores.

Aside from working with the government, PLDT and Smart have also been collaborating with various stakeholders, including the SaferKidsPH consortium of UNICEF, Save the Children, and Asia Foundation, as well as the International Justice Mission, to reinforce community-based interventions, support localized research and policymaking, and lend connectivity and funding support to relevant capacity-building efforts of law enforcement in fighting OSAEC and CSAEM.

“PLDT and Smart are keen to continue working with key stakeholders and like-minded organizations to explore more solutions and foster the adoption of global best practices towards our shared goal of ensuring the digital safety and wellbeing of Filipino children. We will also continue to cooperate and work with our regional neighbors to expand the protection of children beyond Philippine shores,” said PLDT and Smart Chief Sustainability Officer Melissa Vergel de Dios.

The 2024 ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Online Protection was convened by the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection and the Ministry of Communications and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with the ACWC Indonesia and Thailand, and supported by UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. In the previous forums, PLDT and Smart also joined panel discussions on multi-sectoral response and legislative reforms in support of child online protection.

PLDT and Smart undertake these initiatives in line with their continuing adoption of Children’s Rights and Business Principles and contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 16 on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.