Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has released a statement of support for the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) as part of the company’s advocacy for the safe use of the Internet and the paramount responsibility of parents to monitor their children’s online activities.
The Annual IWF report for 2023 cites the alarming trend of children from three to six years old who are manipulated into illicit acts while left alone with their digital devices.
According to the report, some 275,000 URLs were found by IWF to contain child sexual abuse imagery, have links to the imagery, or advertise it. This is an 8% increase from 2022, a sad and distressing fact acknowledged by Converge.
Converge’s participation in the ongoing battle against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) includes using IWF’s URL list of online child sexual abuse webpages for easier tagging and blocking, and an ‘Image Hash List’, a database of codes representing the illicit content, which can then be matched with content on Converge’s network and removed. This knowledge sharing has been crucial in efforts to block such content in the Converge network. With their help, Converge has blocked 12 billion access attempts to illicit and harmful web addresses at the end of 2023.
For 2023 alone, Converge blocked a staggering 9.8 billion requests to be connected to illegal sites. This reflects a more than 400-percent spike from the nearly 1.9 billion requests blocked by the company during the previous year.
“We look forward to continuing the fight this 2024 as these disturbing new trends emerge. It is our fervent hope that our joint efforts will make a dent in curbing OSAEC if not globally, at least here in the Philippines which has been cited as a global hotspot for OSAEC,” Converge said in its statement released April 26.
For more information on Converge, visit the Fastest Internet in the Philippines.
ABOUT CONVERGE ICT SOLUTIONS, INC.
Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions, Inc. (PSE:CNVRG) is the fastest-growing fixed broadband service provider in the Philippines. It is the first to run an end-to-end pure fiber internet network in the country, providing Filipinos simple, fast, and reliable connectivity. Aside from broadband services, Converge also offers integrated data center and network solutions services.
With over 685,000 kilometers of fiber optic assets nationwide, it has one of the most extensive fiber networks in the Philippines.
With this fiber-powered network, Converge provides premium world-class digital experience for residential, enterprise, and wholesale customers. Converge is ISO 9001 and CE2.0 Certified.
Go to www.convergeict.com for more information.
Be part of our vibrant Good News Pilipinas community, celebrating the best of the Philippines and our global Filipino heroes. As winners of the Gold Anvil Award and the Lasallian Scholarum Award, we invite you to engage with us and share your inspiring stories. For stories Making Every Filipino Proud, reach out to GoodNewsPilipinas.com via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. LinkTree here. Let’s spread good news together!
