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February 16, 2026 | 2:55pm
File photo showing a man typing at a keyboard.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — A digital advocacy group urged messaging platforms to cooperate with lawful cybercrime investigations and ensure their services are not used to facilitate illegal activity.
In a statement issued Monday, February 16, Digital Pinoys called on platforms to act promptly when investigators look into accounts suspected of cybercrime.
"Messaging apps like Signal should immediately preserve available account registration data and connection records of accounts under lawful investigation. These are the standard non-content data points that help investigators trace organized scam operations," said Ronald Gustilo, national campaigner of Digital Pinoys.
The group stressed that such requests do not involve access to private messages, decryption or mass surveillance, but are limited to metadata such as subscriber registration details and connection logs.
Preservation request
The appeal followed a recent request by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to preserve non-content data for certain Signal accounts under investigation for alleged online fraud and identity theft.
The platform declined to comply with the preservation request, the group said.
"These requests were narrowly scoped, lawful, and focused solely on metadata that could help identify perpetrators and protect victims," Gustilo said.
He warned that failure to preserve time-sensitive digital records could hinder investigations.
"When preservation is not done immediately, digital trails go cold. This affects not only law enforcement but also ordinary Filipinos trying to recover stolen funds and hold cybercriminals accountable," he added.
Encryption and accountability. Despite its call for cooperation, the group said it does not advocate for weakening of security protections and continues to support end-to-end encryption.
"Encryption should protect citizens—not shield criminal infrastructure. There is a middle ground where privacy is preserved and accountability is enforced," Gustilo said.
Digital Pinoys urged technology firms to engage constructively with authorities while upholding user privacy.
"Our goal is simple: protect users, respect privacy, and ensure that platforms are not inadvertently enabling organized cybercrime," Gustilo said.
