Nothing lasts forever but your online posts might. That’s why PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) are teaching the youth to #BeCyberSmart by sharing practical tips on cyber safety. #BeCyberSmart is the PLDT Group’s umbrella campaign for cybersecurity awareness aimed at promoting vigilance against scams, digital hygiene and responsible online behavior, especially among children and the youth.
At the recent 2025 AngelNet Summit organized by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG), Elijah Mendoza, Digital Communications Senior Manager at Smart, urged high school students to be mindful of what they share online. “As a rule, if you can’t confidently do it in person, it may not be a good idea to show it online,” he said. “Remember, once you post something on the internet, it is likely to stay there forever. It may never disappear.”
Mendoza reminded students that not everyone needs to know every detail of your life – your daily routine, what your room looks like, your favorite things, even your pet names. Oversharing can inadvertently reveal sensitive information that criminals can take advantage of. He also encouraged participants to review their privacy settings and clean up their friends list on social media.
“The key is mindfulness. You won’t hand over the key to your house to a random person. It’s the same in the digital world. Be careful who you share your personal information with,” Mendoza added.
The #BeCyberSmart initiative reinforces the PLDT Group’s broader cybersecurity strategy by empowering users—especially the youth—to become the first line of defense against online threats. The program complements PLDT and Smart’s investment in advanced threat detection technology and robust network defenses.
In the first three months of 2025 alone, PLDT and Smart’s Cyber Security Operations Group blocked over 338,000 attempts to access child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM). To date, the PLDT Group has also blacklisted more than 1.7 million URLs linked to illicit child content.
PLDT and Smart’s initiatives to create a safe digital environment for children and their collaboration with like-minded organizations underscore the Group’s long-term commitment to help the country attain UNSDG No. 16 which promotes just, peaceful and inclusive societies including the end to abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
