CICC appeals to tech experts, hacking communities to protect youth from dark web dangers

MANILA, Philippines — The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has appealed to various information and communications technology (ICT) and hacking communities to collaborate with the government in protecting Filipino youth from the dangers of the dark web and preventing further tragic incidents.

In a DZBB interview on Sunday, September 20, CICC Executive Director Undersecretary Renato Paraiso acknowledged that the government has limitations in its current capabilities and urged tech-savvy individuals to step forward and help bridge these gaps.

"Sa ating mga kapatid, sa ating mga kasamahan, sa ating mga kaibigan sa mga iba't-ibang mga ICT communities, hacking communities, computer forums, kung may alam kayo or may access dito, mag-come forward kayo," Paraiso said. 

(To our brothers and sisters, to our colleagues, to our friends in various ICT communities, hacking communities, and computer forums, if you know anything or have access to this, please come forward.)

"Magtulong-tulong tayo para sa ating mga kabataan. Please come forward. We don't need another incident like this, not at the expense of another child's life,” he added.

(Let’s help each other for the youth. Please come forward. We don't need another incident like this, not at the expense of another child's life.)

The appeal comes amid rising concerns over the "dark web," a hidden layer of the internet that is inaccessible through standard web browsers and requires specialized applications, skills and knowledge to access. 

Penetrating these exclusive online spaces to monitor potential threats is highly difficult. Paraiso explained that while surface-level monitoring tools are available, deeper intelligence work is necessary because gaining the credentials and trust required to enter these forums can take years.

“More importantly, the intelligence work that needs to go behind it kasi it takes years before you get credentials para pagkatiwalaan ka to be let inside these forums or communities, Paraiso said. 

(More importantly, the intelligence work that needs to go behind it, because it takes years before you get credentials to be trusted enough to be let inside these forums or communities.)

On September 19, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that the 14-year-old student who opened fire at a school in South Cotabato was heavily involved in activities on the “deep dark web.” The shooting incident left three people dead, including the shooter.

“Upon investigation, he was heavily into the deep dark web. He was into the deep dark web, which influenced him,” Remulla said in a press briefing on Saturday, September 19.

“According to his phone, he left several notes detailing his depression at tuloy-tuloy ito,” he added.

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