The Department of Education (DepEd) has expressed concern over the alleged sale of private images and videos of students in exchange for buying gadgets and payment for internet connection.
According to the Philippine Online Student Tambayan (POST), an online news portal for students, the selling of sensitive photos and videos of students is spreading online.
Students will first provide freebie or free content to market themselves. But when their followers increase, they will enter their contact details and payment methods and talk to the customer via private message.
“Nakakabahalang dahil sa mga suliraning dinudulot ng pandemya, ang ating mga kabataan ay nahaharap sa matinding panganib na maging biktima ng pang-aabuso at karahasan,” said Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.
According to Gatchalian, there is a Christmas bundle of photos and videos that are allegedly sold for P150.
The National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) are already investigating the incident.
DepEd said it will also work with the authorities to prevent this.
Meanwhile, offline and online learning methods are being observed, now that face-to-face classes have been suspended due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
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