In a press release, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) ordered social platforms Reddit and Discord to set up their respective offices in the Philippines within 24 hours.
The CICC said the move is intended to strengthen its coordination with the platforms following the third school shooting incident in the country within a few months.
The agency sent separate demand letters to the two companies on September 21, ordering them to designate “a resident agent or local representative who can facilitate Philippine jurisdiction and enhance coordination and cooperation with Philippine authorities.”
“We are not asking platforms to police the internet for the government but to be reachable, accountable, and responsive when activities on their platforms put Filipino children and communities at risk. When an online threat spills over into the real world, there has to be a clear channel for authorities to act,” the CICC said in its press release.
The CICC issued the ultimatum amid growing concerns that such platforms are being used to disseminate violent extremist content and ideologies, as well as facilitate the exploitation of minors.
They also ordered Reddit and Discord to submit written explanations detailing their current rules and plans to improve their safety standards, rapid response mechanisms, and age verification measures.
The agency further wants the platforms to participate in a cooperative framework addressing issues surrounding the online exploitation of minors.
The CICC is also working with the Department of Foreign Affairs to coordinate a meeting with Reddit, Discord, Meta, and other social media platforms to discuss and address issues linked to violence and the exploitation of children.
The CICC said platforms that fail to comply within the prescribed period will be banned in the Philippines.