Children are not as easily manipulated online as commonly thought, a new global study found.

The 2024 study, Protecting Children from Online Grooming, published by Save the Children, Safe Online, Western Sydney University's Young and Resilient Research Centre, and funded by Save the Children Hong Kong, engaged 604 children across seven countries, including the Philippines.

It revealed that children are guided by their gut feelings and can identify "red flags" in online interactions.

"A series of red flags signal that a contact cannot be trusted and, in some instances, are reason enough to block or delete contacts from their online friendship networks," the study noted.

These red flags include comments about a child's body or appearance, questions about their location or school, requests for personal information, and inquiries about their personal life, such as relationship status.

Despite these intuitive precautions, children are not always protected as they remain vulnerable to incentives such as a strong desire for friendships or financial benefits that keep them connected with strangers. This is when they fall prey to groomers.

“The findings challenge the stereotype that children are naïve in digital spaces," Wilma Banaga, Save the Children Philippines’ (SCP) Protection Adviser said.

"However, there is still an urgent need to strengthen accessible and available online safety education, especially for young girls in disadvantaged communities," Banaga continued.

In the study, children specifically called for lessons on identifying online risks, distinguishing safe and unsafe information to share, knowing where to seek help, responding appropriately to unknown people, and reporting inappropriate behavior online.

Recognizing this need, SCP has been implementing programs to combat Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Material (CSAEM).

Since 2020, the organization has trained 24,628 children across Metro Manila, Cavite, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, and General Santos City. These areas have been identified as high-risk locations for OSAEC.

"We welcome and recognize children's existing awareness of threats that exist on the internet — what their generation considers their ‘playground.’ By building on their knowledge, we can better equip them to navigate digital spaces safely and confidently," Banaga said.

According to a 2016 UNICEF study, the Philippines has emerged as the center of child sex abuse materials production in the world, with 80 percent of Filipino children vulnerable to online sexual abuse, some facilitated even by their parents.

In 2024, the Council for the Welfare of Children and the Philippine National Police signed a memorandum of understanding to fight the proliferation of OSAEC and CSAEM.

The MAKABATA Helpline 1383 receives calls regarding abuse against children, including physical violence, sexual violence, and psychological violence, and makes referrals to appropriate agencies, such as the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation, for rescues.

The helpline has logged 886 reports and 899 concerns as of 31 July 2024.

About 20 percent of the calls were inquiries about child support, child custody, and children’s rights violations.