Telegram under DICT scrutiny

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has placed Telegram under scrutiny over reports that the messaging platform is being used for online sexual abuse of children and illegal gambling, warning that a ban remains an option if violations persist.

“If we continue to find violations then we might ban them as a consequence,” DICT Secretary Henry R. Aguda said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.

Aguda said regulators have already reached out to Telegram’s management to address the issue, stressing that preventing online sexual exploitation of children is non-negotiable.

“That is what we agreed is non-negotiable. Monitor social media and tell me if you see, first, online sexual exploitation and abuse of children. I said if I see even one more, people can get angry at me if they want, but I will block them,” he said.

The DICT, through the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, earlier blocked access to the Grok AI chatbot over sexually explicit deepfakes.

The restriction was later lifted after discussions with its developer, xAI.

Telegram is a multi-platform messaging app used alongside Viber, Messenger, and WhatsApp.