The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has deferred its decision on whether to block online gaming platform Roblox in the Philippines, extending the deadline to April 10 to allow further coordination with the company.
The agency had earlier warned that Roblox could face a nationwide ban over alleged misuse of the platform for illegal activities involving minors, including online sexual abuse, grooming, and other cybercrimes.
CICC officials said the extension gives Roblox additional time to respond to government concerns and implement safeguards aimed at protecting Filipino users, particularly children.
The platform had previously been given a 30-day ultimatum to address safety issues or risk being blocked in the country. Authorities flagged reports that the game environment was being exploited by threat actors, including child predators and individuals involved in illicit activities.
In an earlier statement, the CICC said the move is meant to ensure that “appropriate measures” are in place before any final action is taken.
Meanwhile, telco Globe Telecom said it will comply with any directive from regulators if a block order is issued.
“Globe affirms its full support and reiterates its cooperation with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and the CICC regarding the blocking of the gaming platform Roblox,” the company said.
Globe added that it “will comply with the NTC directive as it actively participates in making the online space safe for children,” stressing the need to protect minors from risks linked to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM).
The telco also said it will continue working with regulators to implement technical measures.
“We will continue to coordinate closely with the NTC and the CICC as we perform the necessary filters against links, APIs, and IP addresses into our systems. We remain vigilant and ready to update our technical barriers as necessary based on the discovery of new Roblox-related links to ensure the continued safety of our customers,” Globe said.
