Digital advocates to messaging apps: Cooperate with cybercrime probesMANILA, 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. "Our goal is simple: protect users, respect privacy, and ensure that platforms are not inadvertently enabling organized cybercrime," Gustilo said.

Source: Philippine Star February 16, 2026 07:32 UTC