CICC orders Discord, Reddit to establish PH presence within 24 hours or risk ban

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center has given Reddit and Discord an ultimatum to establish offices in the Philippines within 24 hours, or face a ban.

In its Sept. 22 statement, the CICC said it had sent letters dated Sept. 21 to the two platforms, directing them to immediately designate a resident agent or local representative who can serve as their point of contact in the Philippines and facilitate coordination with local authorities.

“We are not asking platforms to police the internet for the government but to be reachable, accountable, and responsive when activities on their platforms put Filipino children and communities at risk. When an online threat spills over into the real world, there has to be clear channel for authorities to act,” said CICC Executive Director Renato Paraiso.

The CICC also asked Reddit and Discord to explain how they currently handle user safety and outline steps they plan to take to improve safeguards, emergency response, and age checks. It further urged both platforms to work with authorities on measures addressing the exploitation of minors online, which it said is increasingly being tied to violence and physical harm offline.

According to the agency, the proposed framework would target networks involved in online child sexual abuse and exploitation, including the creation, sharing, promotion, and monetization of related content, as well as nihilistic violent extremism on these platforms.