Globe strengthens commitment vs online sexual abuse of children

Globe is ramping up efforts to help the government put an end to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) amid the alarming rise in suspicious transactions related to child sexual abuse/exploitation materials in the Philippines during the height of the quarantine.

The company is pushing for responsible online behavior and in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). UNICEF is a UN organization that promotes the rights and well-being of every child, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children.

“As a company whose business is connecting many Filipinos to the internet, Globe sees paramount importance in keeping its customers, particularly children, safe online,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications at Globe.

Through the UNICEF-led SaferKidsPH initiative, Globe supports the government in observing Safer Internet Day by raising awareness on pressing and emerging OSAEC case.

The 18th edition of Safer Internet Day will be celebrated on February 9, 2021 with actions taking place globally. The theme of this year’s celebration “Together for a better internet,” calls upon all stakeholders to join hands in making the internet a safer and better place for all, especially for children.

 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.

One of these is the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP) launched in 2016 which focuses on responsible digital citizenship, critical thinking, and prevention of online abuse, among others.

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 at least 4,101 schools, 115,394 teachers, and 1.96 million students, and present in every region in the Philippines.

The program has also become a venue for Globe volunteer trainers of the program, to share their knowledge with the students about the proper way of using the internet so that young citizens can protect themselves against criminal elements lurking online while at the same time, be guided in achieving their life goals.

Globe’s #SeeYouTomorrow campaign, on the other hand, encourages millions of Filipinos battling depression as well as their friends and family to seek assistance by calling HOPELINE -a 24/7 mental health hotline that is toll-free for Globe and TM subscribers. Hopeline has received the most inquiries in 2020 more than previous years. This points to just how important mental health support is today during the pandemic, which brings mental and emotional challenges across all age groups.

Globe has also recently partnered with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to promote digital responsibility and data privacy among the Filipino youth through “Kabataang Digital.” The program launched last December 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.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Cybercrime noted a 260 percent jump in cyber tips for online sharing, re-sharing, and selling of child sexual abuse images and videos as of April last year.

Globe’s sustainability campaigns are geared towards advocacies under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs),), innovation (SDG 9) and partnership for the goals (SDG 17).

To learn more about the SaferKidsPh Campaign and how to stay protected, visit www.saferkidsph.org

To know more about Globe and its various advocacies and initiatives, visit www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.html#gref

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.