The PLDT Group has identified nearly two million web links containing online child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM) since June 2021, according to data from PLDT and Smart’s Cyber Security Operations Group.
In the first eight months of 2024 alone, the group blocked more than 650,000 attempts to access such content as part of its ongoing efforts to combat online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). The update was shared during the NGO Summit organized by the Department of Justice Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ-IACAT).
“Guided by our child safeguarding policy, we have adopted a child safety-by-design approach across our products and services,” said Roby Alampay, FVP and head of Public Engagement at PLDT and Smart. “Recognizing the scale of the problem, we continue to welcome collaboration with child safety advocates to help create a safer digital space where children can thrive.”
PLDT said its child protection efforts combine technology, collaboration, and community education. Its Child Protection Platform blocks CSAEM at the content level, supported by partnerships with the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection’s Project Arachnid, which help detect and blacklist harmful links.
Beyond technology, the company runs awareness programs to educate communities about online safety. Through its Better Today for Kids initiative, students, teachers, and local officials across Rizal, Bulacan, and Laguna have learned about the dangers of OSAEC and how AI can be misused to create abusive materials.
The group also distributes “Ang Paglalakbay ni Tala,” a children’s book that introduces online safety concepts in a child-friendly way.
To date, PLDT and Smart’s #BeCyberSmart program has reached more than 100,000 students, teachers, parents, and community members nationwide.