EXCLUSIVE: Aguda pushes ASEAN-Wide Social Media Regulation as DICT tightens pressure on Big Tech over child safety

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda has reached out to TechWatchPH following concerns raised by its affiliate, Scam Watch Pilipinas, calling on the agency to take a stronger leadership role in regulating social media platforms across ASEAN.

In an exclusive interview with TechWatchPH, Aguda said that part of the Philippines’ leadership agenda in ASEAN this year is to unify member states toward a single regional voice on social media regulation and digital platform accountability.

The initiative aims to align policies and enforcement approaches across Southeast Asia, as governments grapple with the cross-border nature of online harms, including scams, disinformation, and child exploitation.

Scam Watch Pilipinas earlier urged the DICT to take the lead in advancing a framework similar to the European Union’s model, where big technology companies are subject to clearer rules and stronger accountability mechanisms.

While regional cooperation is being pursued, Aguda emphasized the urgency of addressing online safety issues, particularly the growing concerns around child exploitation.

Aguda said that the government has been using regulatory pressure, including the threat of platform bans, as a necessary measure for big technology firms that initially failed to respond to formal government communications, prompting them to engage and collaborate on improving platform safety features.

Aguda clarified that the DICT and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center only began publicly raising the possibility of platform bans after receiving reports of child exploitation incidents occurring on certain platforms.

“Child exploitation is a very serious concern which needs immediate action before it can cause more harm,” Aguda said.

He noted that many of these platforms operate without a physical presence in the Philippines despite having significant Filipino user bases.

“They don’t have offices here, yet Filipinos can access their platforms, use our data, and even earn from them. It is difficult to immediately summon them because they are not physically present,” Aguda said.

As part of ongoing engagements, Aguda disclosed that executives from Roblox are expected to visit the Philippines to discuss increasing reports of child exploitation raised by Filipino stakeholders, adding that the platform has already reached out to the DICT to cooperate on addressing these issues.

The DICT continues to push for stronger platform accountability while working toward a coordinated ASEAN approach to digital governance.