Filipinos should regain access to Discord and Reddit after the two platforms agreed to new measures for handling online threats to children, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The DICT said it has directed internet service providers and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to complete the restoration of access nationwide. It did not give a timetable for when every user would be able to reach the platforms.
The agreement follows temporary restrictions on Discord, and warnings on Reddit. According to the DICT, both platforms will set up direct channels with Philippine authorities to speed up the removal of child exploitation material, online spaces used to approach and manipulate minors, and accounts that threaten them.
The DICT said the platforms also agreed to strengthen checks intended to protect younger users and to work regularly with Philippine agencies on online safety reports. Its statement did not specify how quickly content must be removed or describe the age-checking tools the platforms will use.
“Digital accountability isn’t always comfortable, but taking these issues head-on was necessary. We sent numerous formal notices and requests, but our concerns went unaddressed,” DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said.
“Responsible governance knows both when to hold global platforms accountable without compromising freedom of speech and when to restore access once key compliance standards are met,” Aguda said.
For people who use Discord for group conversations and Reddit for online communities, the order means access is set to return. The next question is how the promised safety measures will work in practice, including how users can report harmful content and how quickly the platforms will respond.
