Latest data of online gender-based violence in Philippines

The Foundation for Media Alternatives published the latest data of online gender-based violence (OGBV) in the Philippines based on the Take Back the Tech mapping tool. Between 1 January and 23 June 2020, the platform recorded 64 OGBV media reports. It shows a 30% increase of OGBV from 2019. Among top technology-related abuses are unauthorised use of photo or video, violent threats and blackmail, abusive comments, followed by deletion and manipulation of personal data, monitoring and tracking, repeated harassment, sharing and/or dissemination of private information, and unauthorised access of private data. Mobile phones are predominantly used for OGBV, followed by Facebook, and messengers such as Messenger and Telegram. The majority of women who experience online violence are between 18-30 years old. Four out of every ten are under the age of 18. Perpetrators are mostly strangers. ‘Groups of people (40.98%) took part in the online violence as with the proliferation of child porn peddling in online private groups such as Telegram.’ Data shows that during online protests, many impersonation accounts were made from which threatening messages were sent. Rape threats were sent to women activists.