(PNA file photo)
MANILA – Social media platforms and messaging apps must watch out for accounts that are created purposely to prey on children.
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday called out Facebook public groups “Atabs” and “LF Kuya and Bunso” that post images of minors to attract sex predators.
Abusers also use Facebook groups to advertise that they sell children’s photos or videos on other messaging apps, such as Telegram, she said.
“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 picture at video. Ang iba, gumagamit pa ng cloud storage tulad ng Mega dahil napakalaki ng volume (It is disgusting and maddening to know that there are people explicitly abusing our children. They are now using Facebook and Telegram to talk and sell thousands of pictures and videos. The others are using cloud storage like Mega for a larger volume),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
She filed the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children bill to hold accountable people and platforms behind such abuses, including social media and internet intermediaries.
Hontiveros said the “Usapang Diskarte” Facebook page and Youtube channel also instruct subscribers how to prey on children.
After asking her followers to report the account, both the page and the channel were taken down.
Hontiveros is convinced more groups can still create new accounts.
“Parte na ng buhay ng ating kabataan ang internet. Pero hindi dapat maging parte ang karahasan at pang aabuso sa kanila, offline man o online. Gawin na natin ang lahat para matiyak ang kaligtasan ng ating mga anak (The internet is already a part of the lives of our children. But violence and abuses against them should not be a part it, offline or online. Let us do everything to ensure the safety of our children),” she said. (PNA)
