Globe, Canadian C3P unite to fight against online sexual abuse, exploitation of children

CEBU CITY – Globe and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) unite to help the Philippines in its fight against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) with the goal to reduce the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, and prevent child victimization through several programs, services, and resources.

C3P is a Canadian charity dedicated to the personal safety of children and Globe engaged its services shortly after an initial meeting hosted by the Department of Justice.

The organization, based in Winnipeg, Canada, maintains a comprehensive list of harmful websites through its dedicated team of analysts and a sophisticated web crawler, Project Arachnid.

The list will be acquired securely from the servers of C3P, which will then be uploaded into Globe’s current network infrastructure for blocking. Globe will use its current network capabilities to make use of the list, even as more comprehensive content filtering mechanisms are being tested in order to automate the process of site blocking.

“Globe has carved out several initiatives that not only aid in OSAEC reporting and education, but also advocate responsible online behavior and overall online wellness. We are committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation", Globe General Counsel. Atty. Froilan Castelo bared.

Among its initiatives on responsible online behavior is the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP) launched in 2016 which focuses on prevention of online abuse specifically to combat cyberbullying, protection of one's digital identity, critical thinking, and overall online responsibility including discernment and non- participatory behavior concerning fake news.

The DTP has been recently integrated into the K-to-12 curriculum of the Department of Education (DepEd), educating public and private school teachers and students on proper online behavior.

Globe’s cyber wellness program has already been made accessible to more than 4,000 schools, 115,000 teachers, and 1.9 million students across all regions in the Philippines.

The program has also become a venue for Globe volunteer trainers to share their knowledge about the proper use of the internet so that young citizens may be empowered to reach their full potential and achieve their life goals.

Globe also partnered with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to promote digital responsibility and data privacy among the Filipino youth through “Kabataang Digital.” The program aims to provide age-appropriate support for children to help them understand the nature of privacy and the digital environment’s implications on their privacy rights.

To ensure that Filipinos can cope with mental and physical health concerns connected to OSAEC, Globe encourages the public to also access its other supported lifelines. Individuals and families can seek assistance by calling HOPELINE, the 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis support desk of New Good Feelings (NGF) Mindstrong.

The non-profit organization is one of the country’s pioneer independent foundations recognized by the International Association on Suicide Prevention. The access to the HOPELINE is free to all Globe and TM users/subscribers.

The public can also access HOPELINE through the HealthNow App, downloadable through the Play Store for Android and App Store for iOS. It is a joint undertaking of 917Ventures, a corporate incubator wholly-owned by Globe, and AC Health, the healthcare arm of Ayala Corporation.

It is a mobile application that helps patients to conveniently consult with a doctor, and schedule clinic appointments and even purchase medicine for delivery, without leaving their homes.

Globe likewise continues to support the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.’s Bantay Bata #163 Helpline, which is free for all Globe and TM mobile phone users. It allows anyone to report child abuse especially during this period when children are at home most of the time. To call, dial #163.