NTC blocks 2 websites allegedly promoting violence among minors

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has ordered internet service providers to block access to two websites allegedly promoting real-world violence and grooming minors, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.

PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said the move was part of the Anti-Cybercrime Group’s efforts to monitor online communities amid recent school shooting incidents and threats posted online.

“The ACG upon the directive and instruction of our SILG (Jonvic Remulla) as well as our chief PNP (Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.) coordinated directly with the NTC for the blocking of certain websites espousing real world violence and grooming that we say. So it was positively replied to by the NTC and the NTC has already directed our ISPs (internet service providers) to block access sa mga websites na ito (to these websites),” Co said during a briefing at Camp Crame.

Co said the websites remain online but are now inaccessible through Philippine internet service providers. He added that authorities are identifying other websites that allegedly promote similar content.

According to Co, online grooming can begin with seemingly minor tasks before escalating into instructions involving violence.

“Binibigyan ng parang tasking starting from yung mga mababaw lang ng tasking, you go to this corner store do this ganun until such time yun na nga mapupunta na doon sa active shooter, pamamaril at pananakit na sa tunay na buhay,” he said.

The PNP linked its intensified online monitoring to a series of school-related violent incidents reported since June.

Authorities are also investigating possible online influences in recent school shootings, including whether perpetrators had participated in online communities or consumed content that encouraged violence.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier raised concerns over the role of harmful online content in incidents involving young people and called for coordinated action among government agencies, schools, families and communities.