Globe Telecom Inc. is raising its efforts to hunt down websites that contain child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM) after recording a 61 percent spike in blocked child pornography sites in the first quarter of this year.
According to Globe's latest data, it has blocked 903 sites from its network from January to March this year, significantly higher compared to 559 blocked sites in the same period last year.
Blocked child porn URLs also climbed by over 51 percent to 97,951 in the first quarter of 2024 from 64,802 recorded early last year.
"The exponential rise in child exploitation sites is a disturbing situation that demands immediate action. As a responsible corporate citizen, Globe is committed to using every resource at our disposal to address this abhorrent crime and safeguard the well-being of our children," said Globe’s Chief Privacy Officer Irish Salandanan-Almeida.
Since 2017, Globe launched the #MakeITSafePH campaign in compliance with Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, mandating all internet service providers (ISPs) to implement measures to prevent access to CSAEM, as well as cease circulation of CSAEM in the internet.
To date, Globe said that it has also invested $2.7 million in "advanced content filtering systems to detect and block these illegal sites."
"We cannot turn a blind eye to the exploitation of children. Globe is committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to create a safer online environment for our youth. We urge the public to report any suspected cases of child exploitation to the appropriate authorities,” Almeida added.
Aside from their duties as an ISP, the telco is also urging the public to be on alert for CSAEM content that may be seen in social media or other platforms.