Empowering the youth to Go Safe online - GMA Network

Young people today have access to more information than any generation before them. With a few taps, they can learn something new, connect with people, discover communities, and explore almost any subject that catches their interest.

And young people are naturally curious. Tell them they shouldn’t look, and they’ll probably wonder why. Dangle a “DO NOT ENTER” sign in front of a teenager, and chances are they’ll find a way to figure out what’s behind that door.

With the internet, this curiosity has never had more room to roam. Having all that information at your fingertips, though, comes with its own challenge: knowing which sources deserve your trust.

Two out of every three individuals aged 10 years and older use the internet, according to data from the 2024 National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey. This also means that Filipino youth are increasingly exposed to digital risks that are also becoming more complex and harder to recognize.

Consequently, recent cases involving Filipino youth being exploited in harmful online communities show how quickly an ordinary-looking interaction can become something more dangerous. As more of young people's lives take place online, digital safety has to go beyond simply telling them to “be careful.”

A password is the first line of defense. Use long, unique codes and avoid reusing them across different accounts. For usernames, use an alias; avoid anything that can be used to identify you in the real world. Never share this information with anyone.

If your password is breached, two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection for your account.

Be careful about sharing details such as your full name, birthday, phone number, home address, school, or other information that could be used to identify or locate you.

Software updates provide crucial fixes to bugs and other vulnerabilities that may expose you to security breaches.

If an interaction makes you uncomfortable, someone asks you to keep something secret, or something simply does not feel right, talk to a parent, teacher, or another trusted adult.

Staying safe online is more than just following a checklist of precautions. As technology evolves, so do the ways people can be misled, manipulated, or exposed to harm. Young people, therefore, need critical thinking skills and the right knowledge to navigate an increasingly complex digital world.

Before clicking, young people are encouraged to ask themselves: “Is this account really who it says it is? (“Totoo ba ang pagkatao ng account na ito?”) Should I click this link? (“Dapat ko bang puntahan ang link na ito?”) Should I share this photo? (“Dapat ko bang i-share ang picture na ito?”) What should I do if someone online makes me uncomfortable? (“Ano ang dapat kong gawin kapag hindi na ako komportable sa kausap ko online?”)

This is at the heart of Go Safe with Globe advocacy, which helps equip young Filipinos with practical digital literacy skills they can apply in their everyday online experiences. The initiative broadens the conversation beyond basic cybersecurity to include digital rights and Philippine cyber laws, AI-generated content, digital etiquette, and responsible online behavior.

This work builds on the company’s Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP), launched in 2016 to help young Filipinos become more responsible digital citizens through workshops and learning modules on digital citizenship and online safety. Globe later partnered with the Department of Education to bring DTP lessons into public schools through the K-12 curriculum.

The internet will continue to change, and so will the risks that come with it. Digital safety is not a challenge young people solve on their own, it takes a community to cultivate its habits.

Parents can create an environment where children feel comfortable asking questions or speaking up when something goes wrong. Schools can help students develop the critical thinking skills to make informed choices, while government, civil society, and the technology industry have important roles in strengthening the systems that protect young people online.

With advocacy campaigns like Go Safe with Globe and Digital Thumbprint Program, Globe continues to support that shared responsibility, helping young Filipinos develop the awareness and habits to navigate the digital world more safely each day.