The abrupt ban following recent school shootings has drawn backlash over ‘performative governance’ and free speech risks
4-MIN READ4-MIN ListenSam BeltranPublished: 5:31pm, 25 Sep 2026The Philippines’ decision to block messaging platform Discord for less than a day following a series of school shootings has raised questions about the government’s response to child safety online, with analysts describing the move as a show of regulatory muscle that did little to address underlying problems.The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) announced on Thursday that it had lifted the ban after what officials described as successful negotiations with Discord over compliance with child safety measures.
Authorities said they were investigating whether the student had been influenced by online conversations, while the government also raised concerns about online communities being used to groom or radicalise minors and potentially encourage real-world violence.
