Politics · Philippines Bureau
DICT chief denies hidden agenda in platform regulations
The government has no ulterior motives in its directives affecting online platforms, the Department of Information and Communications Technology said Thursday, as it moved to lift restrictions on Discord.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) rejected suggestions of hidden agendas behind the government's recent actions targeting online platforms, with agency chief Henry Aguda making the clarification Thursday.
Aguda's statement came as the DICT and its attached agency, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), announced the lifting of a ban previously imposed on Discord, the messaging platform widely used by gamers and online communities.
The pronouncement addresses growing public concern over government restrictions on digital platforms, with observers questioning the rationale behind such directives. The DICT chief sought to assure users and platform operators that regulatory measures are motivated solely by legitimate governance concerns.
The move to restore Discord access marks a shift in the government's approach to online platform management. Officials have signaled that future actions will continue to be guided by cybersecurity and public safety considerations rather than broader restrictions on internet access or speech.