As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, so do the benefits and risks to young people

The most important risks that children face online are being discussed, along with steps that can be taken to guarantee that every kid may interact and connect safely, by a group of international experts on online safety and members of ChildFund’s WEB Safe & Wise Children’s Advisory Council, who are assembled in Manila today. The Philippines is the hub for the production of materials related to child sex abuse, according to UNICEF and the International Justice Mission.

Dr. Najat is on the speaking roster with prominent Philippine government individuals, such as Senator Risa Hontiveros and Undersecretary Angelo Tapales from the Council for the Welfare of Children. In addition to Dr. Mikiko Otani, the immediate past chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Maalla M’jid, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on Violence against Children, Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, representatives from UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Office, ECPAT Philippines, International Justice Mission, ChildFund, and members of the tech industry including CleanDNS. There were young people from Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Mozambique, Paraguay, Philippines, Uganda, and Vietnam among the Children’s Advisory Council members present.

“As the digital landscape continues to rapidly evolve, new opportunities for children and young people increase, but so do the threats they face online,” says Senior Advisor, Advocacy and Policy, Ryan DeSouza, who is leading ChildFund’s WEB Safe & Wise initiative. “It’s imperative, therefore, that we work together—and with children—to create a better digital world. ChildFund Alliance launched WEB Safe & Wise as a frontline defense against some of the most urgent risks to children online, including the online sexual exploitation and abuse of children.”

An estimated 750,000 individuals are looking to connect with children online for sexual purposes at any one time— whether on social media, online gaming sites, or via email. Reports of online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) have increased 15,000% over the last 15 years. In 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) analyzed over 32 million reports of CSAM received from across the globe and reported an 87% increase from 2019. Last year, 9 in 10 victims were between the ages of 3 and 12 years.

In the Philippines, the harm is so prevalent, UNICEF and the International Justice Mission (IJM) identified the country as the center of child sex abuse materials production. In the recent Scale of Harm report by the IJM, researchers found nearly half a million Filipino children in 2022 were trafficked online via live streaming, often by relatives or people they know, in order to produce child sexual exploitation material.

The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) in the Philippines promises to work closely with other government agencies to address online child sexual abuse and exploitation. In a recent interview, Undersecretary Angelo Tapales said his department is working with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as well as with the private sector to curb the violence and sexual abuse against children.

“Alarmingly, new forms of abuse, such as AI-generated imagery and financial sexual extortion, are significantly on the rise, with dreadful consequences,” explains ChildFund Alliance Secretary General Meg Gardinier. “Our goal, by working closely with children and young people is to identify solutions they believe can both benefit them, and also keep them safer, when they engage online.”

The Children’s Advisory Council, includes youth members from across the globe. Ten of the 15 members traveled to Manila to participate in the Safer Internet Day event. Council member Azumi, who is from the Philippines said she believes it is urgent that “all young people be given a voice in the fight for a safer online world.” Tihitina from Ethiopia explained that she is “eager to work on creating a web safe environment for children and young people, and to contribute to driving change.” Moisés from Mexico, said he seeks “ways to solve the challenges that girls, boys, and young people face in the online environment.”

All members of the Council play a key role in determining the planning and implementation of WEB Safe & Wise activities. The platform provides a range of resources for young people as well as adults, including guidance on Talking to Young People About Online Safety, definitions related to online safety, and key do’s and don’ts when engaging online.

“This is a crime that is unconcerned about borders,” shared Chris Lewis-Evans, who focuses on detecting and disrupting online harms in his role as director of Internet Harms Mitigation and Governmental Engagement at CleanDNS. Chris spent more than 20 years with the UK’s National Cyber Crime Unit. He explained how the advancement of WEB3—a decentralized online ecosystem along with other emerging technologies like AI—poses additional security risks. “There’s an absence of clear abuse reporting mechanisms, defined jurisdictional responsibilities, and clear accountability structures,” says Chris. “This leaves more children vulnerable to more forms of online abuse.”

“Countries need legislation that protects children from the looming dangers of digital predation, coercion, and other terrible abuses that are being facilitated against children online,” explains ChildFund Alliance Board Chair

Simon Whyte. “A key goal of WEB Safe & Wise is to strengthen laws and policies that provide this protection, and to get there, it’s critical that people understand the gravity of this threat.”

ChildFund advocates for the establishment of official authorities, the outlawing of the internet exploitation of minors, and the provision of funds for the education of parents and other caregivers. It is highly recommended that technology partners collaborate in developing industry safety guidelines that are standardized to shield young users from offensive information on all platforms.

“On Safer Internet Day 2024, I propose we all commit to making every day safer for children online,” said Ryan DeSouza. “We need to end this global crisis before it harms countless more children. We can and must do better.”

To participate in our campaign and obtain additional information, please go to https://websafeandwise.childfundalliance.org/.

The chat-first platform introduces new features to connect users with global and remote job markets

With the introduction of new features that make it easier for talent to access jobs abroad and remote work chances, Bossjob—the chat-first career platform that is transforming professional hiring in Southeast Asia (SEA)—is putting career prospects even more within reach for talent.

A new element of the employment platform that enables recruiters from all around the world to connect with talent in Asia, including the Philippines, has officially debuted. On the Bossjob website, employers can now post job openings worldwide by choosing the ‘International’ option and focusing on particular nations where they are looking for top talent.

This capability not only makes setting up remote teams and outsourcing easier, but it also lets employers create a presence in previously underserved locations. Bossjob hopes to lower recruitment expenses and improve cross-border hiring procedures for businesses with the new functionality.

Bossjob’s new feature comes particularly timely in helping employers seize opportunities to attract top talent. It is anticipated that individuals will be reassessing their career paths at the start of 2024. The start of a new year typically serves as a period for introspection and the setting of resolutions, leading many to reevaluate their professional aspirations and strive to begin the year on a positive note.

Moreover, Bossjob particularly sees the importance of making these job opportunities more accessible to Filipinos. The Philippines Freelance Market 2022 Report suggested many Filipinos thrive as freelancers, benefitting from overseas freelancing opportunities.

Meanwhile, the platform has also launched the remote jobs section, making it easier for talents to scroll around the opportunities that best suit them. Job seekers can easily go to the “Remote Jobs” section of the Bossjob website and check hundreds of remote job positions across various industries, including information technology, customer service, human resources, sales, finance, manufacturing, banking, and healthcare.

Bossjob CEO Anthony Garcia says the company hopes to bring opportunities not only closer but more accessible to more Filipinos.

“With our new international feature and dedicated remote jobs section, we’re not just expanding horizons, but we’re actively dismantling barriers to global employment and fostering a more inclusive, accessible job market. At Bossjob, we believe that a great career should be accessible to everyone, everywhere, and our latest features are a significant step towards making that belief a reality,” Garcia said.

Preference for remote work among job seekers continues to rise

Starting in Q3 of 2023, Bossjob began supporting hybrid and remote job opportunities, leading to a significant increase in such listings. The number of jobs posted in these categories has since doubled, underscoring a growing trend in the employment market.

Key industries embracing this trend include Information Technology (IT), sales, and emerging web3 sectors. Remote roles in high demand range from sales representatives and accountants to administrative assistants and business development managers.

The introduction of these flexible work options has led to a substantial increase in job seeker interest. Bossjob reports a sevenfold rise in the number of candidates seeking remote or hybrid work arrangements, with about 32% of its over 3 million active job seekers exploring these options.

The preference for remote work extends across various job categories, with customer service representatives (CSR), entry-level jobs, and IT roles being particularly sought after.

In addition to increased demand, Bossjob’s data shows salaries for hybrid work arrangements are equally attractive to those opportunities that require people to work on-site. For instance, remote CSR roles offer an average salary of Php 29,000, compared to the Php 27,000 average pay for on-site positions.

Bossjob’s expansion to supporting remote and hybrid work opportunities reflects a broader global trend and demonstrates the platform’s commitment to evolving with the changing job market dynamics.

“In a rapidly evolving job market, Bossjob is at the forefront of the shift towards a project-based economy in the Philippines. Our data shows not just a trend but a reflection of a deeper change in work preferences. As we continue to champion this shift, Bossjob remains committed to connecting talent with forward-thinking employers, reshaping the workforce for a more dynamic and adaptable future,” Garcia said.

Bossjob is a developing company in Asia, with operations in the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. By 2026, the company hopes to have over 30 million customers in the region. This year, it began providing free services as part of its aim to increase its market share internationally.

Go to https://bossjob.com/ to learn more about how to start the new year with a successful career achievement from Bossjob.

Putting the GAME in eGaming: DigiPlus utilises cutting-edge technologies and a deep bench of experts from different spaces within the gaming industry

The culture of the Philippines is strongly rooted on traditional bingo. With each game, these gaming activities have provided a space where individuals from all walks of life may unwind, have fun, and form deep friendships.

But the extraordinary times brought about by the pandemic, along with quarantine laws prohibiting social gatherings of any kind, completely altered the gaming sector. Additionally, the public crisis hastened the global use of digital technology. This occurs amid a youthful population that is proficient in using technology and a notable increase in smartphone and Internet usage in recent years.

For the gaming and leisure business DigiPlus Interactive, this presented both a challenge and an opportunity to lead digitalization in the Philippine gaming sector while generating entertaining experiences for its gamers across channels.

DigiPlus Interactive has launched BingoPlus in January 2022. It is the first digital platform where bingo-loving Filipinos can play with the convenience of time and place by bringing the game live online. BingoPlus leverages the company’s deep understanding of its customers whilst bringing in innovation and technologies to offer new entertainment product formats to more Filipinos.

BingoPlus’ brick-and-mortar or traditional bingo operations also complemented the foray into the digital space. DigiPlus Interactive currently operates at least 200 bingo halls in different parts of the Philippines, which continue to be popular amongst Filipinos.

The strong performance of BingoPlus propelled the robust growth of DigiPlus. In 2022, DigiPlus posted a turnaround in its financial performance, with a net income of ₱686.9m coming from a net loss of ₱894.6m in the previous year. Furthermore, in the first nine months of 2023, DigiPlus registered a net income of ₱2.1b, more than a tenfold growth from 2022.

As the first and only government-licensed digital bingo platform in the country, BingoPlus is reshaping the country’s gaming industry. Continuing to dominate the digital gaming space, BingoPlus has opened up new opportunities, triggering a proliferation of online gaming platforms in the Philippines. This healthy competition fosters innovation and creativity that fundamentally benefits the customers.

The platform has also since become a community and entertainment platform, a source of revenue for the Philippine government, and a contributor to various social and educational non-profit programmes.

“The success of BingoPlus has paved the way for [DigiPlus] to undertake a strategic transformation to position itself as a digital entertainment platform,” the company said. It added its plans of launching new and innovative game offerings to cater to broader demographics and lifestyle preferences.

The platform was recognised at the first Asian Management Excellence Awards for its efforts in revolutionising the digital gaming experience and for its ongoing investment in research and development. The company was awarded the Philippines Innovator of the Year – Media & Entertainment category.

The esteemed awards program honors the best entrepreneurs, innovators, and businesses in Asia and recognizes remarkable accomplishments in a range of operational domains, such as health and wellness, diversity and inclusion, and employee engagement.

In keeping with the worldwide celebration of Safer Internet Day 2024, leading telecoms provider Eastern Communications takes the lead in bringing attention to the vital problem of online security. Eastern Communications is at the forefront of educating and safeguarding individuals and businesses alike in the face of the increasing frequency of online frauds, notably through work emails and deceptive links.

According to data published by Sophos in 2023, ransomware attacks against private sector companies resulted in 84% of the victims’ financial losses, and 30% of cyberattacks were coordinated via email.

“We understand the threats online scams pose, and they have become increasingly sophisticated,” said Rex Evangelista, Eastern Communications’ Head of Information Technology Department, “Our mission is not only to provide top-notch security solutions but also to educate our internal and external stakeholders to practice awareness and resilience against these threats.”

Online scams, especially through work emails, mimicked email accounts, and suspicious links, are on the rise due to sophisticated phishing attacks, advanced social engineering tactics, and the exploitation of system vulnerabilities and human error. The shift towards remote work and the increasing reliance on digital communication have further exposed businesses to these threats.

Eastern Communications prioritizes digital safety through comprehensive internal practices. Staff training programs are a cornerstone of this initiative, equipping employees with essential skills to recognize and counter potential online threats.

This dedication to cybersecurity is further cemented by Eastern Communications’ ISO 27001 certification, an internationally recognized standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), underscoring the company’s steadfast commitment to securing data and managing the information of its stakeholders responsibly.

The process is followed by extending Eastern’s expertise to its customers and partners through thought leadership sessions, technological workshops like Access Eastern, and online educational materials like videos, posts, and blogs.

Finally, Eastern Communications delivers holistic cyber defense solutions to its clients and identifies four online safety essentials to combat various threats originating from emails and online sources. The full suite, covering all stages of cyberattacks, includes the Sophos XG Firewall (Next Generation Firewall), Central Intercept X Advanced (CIXA), Central Email Advanced for email security, and Sophos Phish Threat for educating the whole organization.

The Sophos XG Firewall is a Next Generation Firewall that safeguards users throughout the initial stages of ransomware attacks. XG Firewall includes one of the best-performing IPS engines on the market and offers easy, simple, and flexible tools to secure your LAN.

CIXA on the other hand, is a cloud-based security platform that combines advanced endpoint detection and response with anti-malware protection to spot cybersecurity vulnerabilities and block malicious attempts. CIXA is an endpoint security solution that employs machine learning, allowing it to understand new forms of threats and risks.

To complete the online defense suite, Eastern offers Central Email Advanced, a secure email gateway engineered to keep businesses safe from all email threats, and Sophos Phish Threats, a phishing attack simulation system that assesses the organization’s preparedness against real-world attacks.

“In today’s digital age, understanding the landscape of online threats is as crucial as having the tools to combat them. Our approach is holistic – we focus on empowering users with knowledge as well as technology,” Evangelista emphasized.

Eastern Communications confirms its commitment to improving online security and establishing new benchmarks in the fight against digital dangers in honor of the yearly Safer Internet Day. Eastern is a leader in enabling people and companies to securely navigate the digital world by fusing cutting-edge technology with educational outreach, spurring change toward a more educated and safe online environment.

Contact 5300-7000 or go to www.eastern.com.ph to find out more about Eastern Communications’ business-grade cyber defense solutions.

In order to encourage and strengthen the creative industries in the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry, through the Competitiveness and Innovation Group (DTI-CIG), is seeking innovative startup companies to join their two programs.

In order to help creative startups in the Philippines become market- and investment-ready, the DTI-CIG, under the direction of Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba, has launched the creatives edition of the Incubation, Development, and Entrepreneurial Assistance (IDEA) and Accelerating Development, Valuation, and Corporate Entrepreneurship (ADVanCE) programs in collaboration with startup accelerator Launchgarage.

The deadline for applications is February 11, 2024. Interested parties can visit the DTI-CIG Facebook page, the official websites of the ADVanCE program and the IDEA program-creatives edition, to learn more about the programs and submit applications.

“The programs are a testament to the Philippine government’s belief in the immense potential of Filipino creativity and entrepreneurship. By providing the much-needed support and platform, we are setting the stage for creative startups to not only thrive locally but also make a significant impact on the global stage. The creative sector is a vital component of our economy and cultural identity, and through initiatives like these, we aim to foster an environment where ideas can flourish, talents are honed, and success stories are born,” Usec. Aldaba said.

The Philippine creative industries play a significant role in the national economy. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed the creative economy amounted to P1.60 trillion in 2022, contributing 7.3% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Furthermore, the sector was responsible for employing almost 7 million Filipinos that year.

The IDEA for Creatives edition will onboard 10 early-stage creative startups and enterprises to support and enhance their entrepreneurial capacity and readiness. Under the program, selected startups will participate in various educational workshops aimed at transforming their inventive business concepts into successful enterprises. Each will be paired with experienced mentors and coaches to guide them in their startup journey. The program culminates with a showcase event, where startups can present their ventures to program stakeholders, angel investors, venture capitalists, corporate representatives, and key figures in the ecosystem.

Early-stage startups that are operating in the Philippines with a minimum viable product, registered or in the process of registration to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or DTI, with 60% of its founders Filipino, and with at least two founders committed to the IDEA program, are eligible to apply.

Meanwhile, an initial pool of 10-15 startups will be chosen to participate in the ADVanCE for Creatives. After the preliminary screening, they will be assessed based on organizational capacity, business maturity, and readiness levels. From there, five participating startups will be selected to proceed to the acceleration phase and undergo intensive training based on the specific interventions identified from the needs assessment.

To be eligible, startups should be in their growth and expansion stage and are based in the country with at least two years of operations with revenue, SEC or DTI-registered, with 60% of its founders Filipino, and with at least two founders committed to the ADVanCE program.

DTI welcomes all creative startups within the domains of audiovisual media, digital interactive media, creative services, design, publishing and printed media, performing arts, visual arts, traditional cultural expressions, and cultural sites to apply to the programs.

“We call on all eligible creative startups to seize this unparalleled opportunity. Join us in this endeavor to transform your innovative ideas into successful enterprises and become part of a movement that celebrates and elevates Filipino talent and ingenuity,” Aldaba shares.

The Innovative Startup Act, or RA 11337, is in line with the IDEA and ADVanCE programs, which are designed to support and advance the Philippine startup ecosystem through various perks and initiatives. According to Republic Act No. 11904, also known as the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA), which requires the development of a thriving and internationally competitive Philippine creative sector by defending and enhancing their rights and boosting economic capacities, their most recent cohorts will concentrate on the creative industries.