Hontiveros warns of Facebook groups preying on children

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday warned of new Facebook groups preying on children and urged social media platforms to be more proactive in taking down posts and accounts that are being used to prey on minors.

"Hindi sapat na nate-take down lang ang mga page o channel. Kahit mai-report online, gagawa at gagawa lang din sila ng panibagong accounts. Maging proactive na dapat ang mga social media platforms at messaging apps sa pagsugpo ng mga gawaing nakakapahamak sa mga bata," Hontiveros said in a statement.

(Taking down these pages and channels is not enough. Even if they are reported online, they will create new accounts to continue this kind of abuse. The social media platforms and messaging apps should be proactive in eradicating these contents that may put the lives of the children at risk.)

FB groups

Hontiveros, who is set to retain her chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, issued the statement as she noted that more groups on Facebook are created to sell pictures and videos of children.

She specifically mentioned public Facebook groups "Atabs" and "LF Kuya and Bunso" where she said images of minors were posted to "attract predators."

These groups were also used to advertise children's photos or videos on different messaging applications such as Telegram, the senator added.

"Nakakasuklam at nakakagalit na may mga taong tahasang nang-aabuso sa ating kabataan. Gamit narin nila ang Facebook messenger or Telegram para mag-usap at magbenta ng libo-libong mga pictures at videos. Ang iba, gumagamit pa ng cloud storage tulad ng Mega dahil napakalaki ng volume," Hontiveros said.

(It is infuriating and disgusting that there are people who outrightly abuse our youth. They are using Facebook messenger and Telegram to sell thousands of pictures and videos. Some are even using cloud storage like Mega because of the volume of the contents.)

OSAEC

She then reiterated the need for the approval of the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Law to hold sexual predators and social media platforms accountable.

Last week, Hontiveros urged President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to sign the Anti-OSAEC Law as she posted screenshots of online contents showing comments implying sexual abuse of children.

Both houses of Congress ratified last May the bill against the online sexual abuse or exploitation of children and child sexual abuse or exploitation materials.

The proposed measure seeks to increase the duties of the private sector, with emphasis on electronic service providers, internet intermediaries, financial intermediaries, specifically with respect to the blocking and preserving of OSAEC materials found on their platforms, and cooperation with law enforcement agents.

It will create a the National Coordinating Center against OSAEC and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) under the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT).

The bill will also establish protections and guarantees for child victims of OSAEC, particularly with respect to their psycho-social needs and it will grant additional investigation and surveillance tools to law enforcement agents, taking into account the complexities of the internet and the dark web.  —KBK, GMA News