Marilyn Cahatol

Children play by the shore on September 27, 2022 days after super typhoon Karding made landfall in the area. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178721183661620220927-typhoon-karding-aftermath-aurora-JC-20.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Children play by the shore on September 27, 2022 days after super typhoon Karding made landfall in the area. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Council for the Welfare of Children on Thursday urged the public, especially content creators, to be more circumspect when posting children and minors on online platforms, saying that the safety and welfare of minors should come first before story and content online.</p><p>The appeal comes after several online users posted uncensored videos of a fresh shooting incident in a Zamboanga school, showing details of the adolescent gunman and some of his victims.</p><p>“Child first, story second. May tungkulin ang media na ipaalam sa publiko ang nangyayari pero at the same time, kapag ang sangkot ay bata kailangan itanong natin sa sarili natin — not just the traditional media but also the content creators — kailangan ba talagang ilabas ang detalyeng ito kasama na ang mukha ng bata, personal identification, makakatulong ba ito sa publiko at higit sa lahat ay maaari ba itong makapinsala sa bata,” Council for the Welfare of Children Executive Director Angelo Tapales said.</p><p>“Nakikiusap kami na let us not share at iclick ang post ng gruesome video na yan… Ito ay relevant lalo na sa victims at survivors na mga bata. Kailangan natin isipin yung long-term effect na makikilala sila,” he told state television PTV.</p><p>“There is always the possibility of stigmatization, bullying, retraumatization. Ang isang bata ay hindi dapat habang buhay na makilala dahil lang sa pinakamasakit na pangyayari sa buhay niya,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/19/pnp-orders-takedown-of-school-shooting-videos-probes-how-minor-got-2-guns-inside-school-1019">PNP orders takedown of school shooting videos, probes how minor got 2 guns inside school</a></div><p>Before posting or sharing videos showing children, one should first think about the necessity of a content, and if it would contribute to public good, Tapales said.</p><p>“Hindi dahil available online yang video o picture ay hindi dapat automatic na dapat ibroadcast o irepost, ireclick o iredistribute natin,” he said.</p><p>“Tandaan po natin na yung pagrerepost ay panibagong publication po yan so sa pamamagitan ng pagrerepost… pinapalawak natin yung audience at pinapahaba natin yung staying power ng isang material,” he said.</p><p>Sharing sensitive material on the internet may not only retraumatize victims, but may also lead to “copy cat” behavior among other children, Tapales said.</p><p>Murang mura ang isip ng ating mga kabataan. We do not want to traumatize them or we do not want them to imitate these violent tendencies na ganito so we really have to be careful,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/20/parents-urged-to-monitor-kids-gadget-use-after-school-violence-1243">&#x27;Adults give the cue&#x27;: Parents urged to monitor kids&#x27; gadget use after school violence incidents</a></div><p>Parents should also be cautious when posting photos and videos of their children while bathing or engaging in other seemingly harmless daily routines, Tapales said.</p><p>“Yan pong mga yan while benign and seemingly harmless po sa atin, ang masasamang tao like sexual predators, mga nagraradicalize ng mga bata baka yan po ang hinahanap so let us post with caution,” he said.</p><p>Between June 16 and August 19, the Philippines has recorded 50 incidents of violence in schools, according to data from the Philippine National Police (PNP).</p><p>Of this number, 26 were involved in alleged bomb threats, 12 in alleged shooting threats, 4 stabbing incidents, 4 illegal possession of firearms, 2 death threats and 2 shooting incidents.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/9/-copycat-phenomenon-more-incidents-of-school-violence-recorded-after-tacloban-shooting-deped-1430">‘Copycat phenomenon’: More incidents of school violence recorded after Tacloban shooting — DepEd</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GQR8Kby28Sg?si=xaqfDjQ-exWrimDL" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Council for the Welfare of Children on Thursday urged the public, especially content creators, to be more circumspect when posting children and minors on online platforms, saying that the safety and welfare of minors should come first before story and content online.</p>

The Council for the Welfare of Children on Thursday urged the public, especially content creators, to be more circumspect when posting children and minors on online platforms, saying that the safety and welfare of minors should come first before story and content online.

‘Child first, story second’: Gov’t appeals for stricter online privacy rules for minors

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‘Child first, story second’: Gov’t appeals for stricter online privacy rules for minors

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 20, 2026 04:11 PM PHT

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child safety

privacy

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