National center urges online platform safeguards vs. child sexual abuse

The National Coordinating Center Against OSAEC and CSAEM is pushing for a law that would require online platforms to have safeguards for young users to protect them from possible exploitation or sexual abuse online.

“Meron din kaming proposed bill to amend the law…Magkaroon ng mas responsibilidad ang mga technology platforms, mga internet and online platforms, pati na ang financial sector para maiwasan yung paggamit ng platform nila to facilitate OSAEC and CSAEM,” said NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM OIC-executive director Barbara Mae Flores in “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” on Monday. 

(We also have a proposed bill to amend the law… To give technology platforms, internet and online platforms, as well as the financial sector, more responsibility to prevent their platforms from being used to facilitate OSAEC and CSAEM.) 

“Halimbawa na lang yung age verification. Kapag sinabi ng isang online platform na ang kanyang platform ay para lang sa mga edad 13 pataas, dapat may technology sila sa platform nila na yung mga batang below 12 ay hindi pwede makagawa ng account under their online platform,” she added. 

(For example, age verification. When an online platform says that its platform is only for those aged 13 and above, they should have technology on their platform so that children below 12 cannot create an account under their online platform.) 

The NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM is a specialized unit under the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking. 

The NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM launched in December last year the first-ever Philippine Strategic Action Plan against Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials. It contains projects that seek to address online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. 

The body is planning to engage schools and parents on how to address such abuse among children. 

“Balak rin namin to engage yung mga learning institutions para matuto po yung ating mga guro paano ma-identify yung mga red flags. At kung may mag-report sa kanila, sa mga guro, how do they treat these reports?” said Flores. 

(We also plan to engage learning institutions so our teachers can learn how to identify red flags. And if someone reports to them—to the teachers—how do they treat these reports?) 

“Pati yung mga magulang, gusto rin namin silang ma-train…Dapat as parents, alam mo rin kung paano babantayan yung anak mo in the world of internet.” 

(Even the parents, we want them to be trained as well… As parents, you should also know how to look after your child in the world of the internet.) —LDF, GMA Integrated News