Culture & Entertainment · Philippines Bureau
PLDT blocks 100+ websites hosting school shooting footage
The Philippines' largest telecommunications provider has moved to restrict access to over 100 websites streaming violent content, including school shooting videos. The action comes as the nation grapples with a second campus attack in as many months.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — PLDT Inc., the country's leading telco operator, announced Friday it will block more than 100 websites from its network that stream or host footage of school shootings and other extreme violence.
The decision represents an escalation in content moderation efforts by the major internet service provider at a critical time for Philippine schools. The announcement follows a second deadly campus incident in less than two months, raising fresh concerns about access to violent material online.
The blocked websites will be filtered at the network level, preventing PLDT subscribers from accessing the content through the company's services. The telco did not specify which particular sites would be restricted or provide details on how long the blocking initiative would remain in effect.
The move aligns with growing pressure on telecommunications and social media companies worldwide to take responsibility for hosting violent content. Industry observers have noted correlations between exposure to school shooting footage and subsequent incidents of violence.
PLDT's action underscores the role internet service providers can play in mitigating access to harmful material during periods of heightened school violence.