Messaging app Telegram will continue operating in the Philippines after it reached an agreement with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to act faster against illegal online activities.
A few days ago, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said they were considering banning the app because of reports of illegal activities happening in the platform.
The agreement came after talks with Telegram leaders Ronak Singh and Abhimanyu Yadav and Philippine officials, according to the DICT’s post on its Facebook page. About 59.1% of internet users in the Philippines now use Telegram, based on the data from Meltwater.
“While we welcome the spirit of cooperation shown by Telegram, our priority remains the safety of our digital borders,” the CICC said in a statement. “The continuation of their service is contingent upon their unwavering adherence to these terms. We will not hesitate to exercise our mandate to suspend operations should the platform fail to uphold its commitment to the Filipino people.”
Under the deal, Telegram will set up a 24/7 help desk so authorities can quickly report illegal content. The company said it will respond right away to verified complaints.
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Telegram will also send monthly reports to DICT and CICC. These reports will show how many accounts or posts were taken down and other actions done against rule violators.
The platform agreed to a zero-tolerance policy on Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), illegal gambling, and other forms of online abuse. This means such content or activities will be removed once confirmed, and accounts involved may be blocked.
In recent months, Philippine authorities raised concerns that some criminals were using messaging apps to spread illegal content and run unlawful operations. Among the issues flagged were cases involving child exploitation and illegal gambling.
The DICT earlier warned that platforms that do not cooperate with government investigations could face possible blocking in the country. The CICC, which leads efforts against cybercrime, has been asking tech companies to respond faster to complaints and share information needed for investigations.
The CICC reminds the public to report complaints and send inquiries to the Action Center or call Hotline 1326 for cybercrime incidents.
