Globe Telecom Inc. said it recorded a sharp rise in detected child pornography websites and URLs this year as it intensifies efforts to shield society’s most vulnerable from such despicable offenses.
The telecom unit of the Ayala Group said the most recent data reveal a concerning trend, with the number of blocked child pornography sites from its network climbing from 559 in the first quarter of 2023 to 903 in the first quarter of 2024, marking a 61-percent increase.
The count of blocked child pornography URLs surged by more than 51 percent from 64,802 in the first quarter of 2023 to 97,951 in the same period this year, highlighting the critical nature of the issue and the pressing need for continued vigilance and action.
“The exponential rise in child exploitation sites is a disturbing situation that demands immediate action. As a responsible corporate citizen, Globe is committed to using every resource at our disposal to address this abhorrent crime and safeguard the well-being of our children,” Globe chief privacy officer Irish Salandanan-Almeida said.
Since the launch of its Make It Safe Philippines campaign in 2017, Globe has been actively aligning its efforts with the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9775), which requires all internet service providers (ISPs) to deploy technologies that prevent access to or transmission of child pornography.
The company said it invested over $2.7 million in advanced content filtering systems to detect and block these illegal sites.
Globe said it also forged strong partnerships with various government agencies as well as child protection organizations to boost its efforts against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.