The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is considering whether to block Telegram in the Philippines over reports that the messaging app is being used to spread pornographic materials and run illegal gambling activities.
Henry Aguda, secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, said in an interview on a radio program aired on DZRH that the government may have to consider banning the messaging app if these activities continue.
The possible ban comes weeks after the DICT temporarily banned Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) tool of X, following reports abroad that it was being used to generate pornographic images of children. The restriction was later lifted.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) under the DICT has also floated the idea of blocking messaging app Signal, saying it is allegedly being used for spoofing or impersonating government officials, as reported by ABS-CBN.
Telegram is known for its strong privacy features and light moderation. Critics, however, have long raised concerns that these features can also make it easier for illegal content to spread.
An investigation by The Guardian found that millions of AI-generated deepfake nude images and other non-consensual sexual materials were shared in Telegram channels worldwide, despite rules banning such content.
In France, authorities have filed charges against Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov over allegations that the platform failed to do enough to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material, drug sales, and other crimes. Telegram has denied wrongdoing and said it cooperates with legitimate law enforcement requests.
In a post quoted by Forbes, Durov admitted that the platform’s rapid growth created problems.
“Telegram’s abrupt increase in user count caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform,” he wrote. He also added that the company is improving its moderation systems.
For now, the DICT has not issued a formal order against Telegram. But officials said the government is prepared to act if online platforms are found to be enabling illegal activities.
