The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is studying a potential ban on the encrypted messaging app Telegram due to concerns over illegal activities like pornography and gambling. This follows a similar proposal for Signal earlier in the month. Rights groups worry about impacts on private communication rights.
On February 24, 2026, in an interview on DZRH, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda floated the idea of banning Telegram due to the proliferation of pornography and illegal gambling operations within the app. He noted the agency's difficulties in communicating with Telegram to address these issues. This echoes a proposal by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) for Signal earlier in the month, which raised concerns about 'spoofing' of high-ranking government officials, as CICC head Renato Paraiso was quoted saying messages could be made to appear as 'someone is transacting with government officials regarding the flood control scandal' to frame them.
IT rights groups including Democracy.net.PH, the Computer Professionals’ Union, and Data and Ethics PH have pushed back against the proposals, arguing they would infringe on the right to private communication. Both Signal and Telegram are used by journalists for secure communication with sources, and they hold value for dissidents in areas with free speech crackdowns, according to a 2021 Index on Censorship report: 'Telegram, and other encrypted messaging services, are crucial for those intending to organize protests in countries where there is a severe crackdown on free speech. Myanmar, Belarus and Hong Kong have all seen people relying on the services.'
Telegram differs from Signal in encryption: Signal uses end-to-end only, while Telegram defaults to cloud-based storage that can be decrypted by servers, though 'Secret Chats' offer end-to-end options. Founded in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov, Telegram has resisted some demands, such as during Hong Kong protests when it declined Chinese authorities' data requests 'until an international consensus is reached.' However, its privacy policy allows disclosure of IP addresses and phone numbers for confirmed terror suspects, and it has complied with justified requests, like removing far-right content in Germany and banning pro-ISIS channels in Indonesia.
The Computer Professionals’ Union stated: 'Platform bans are band-aid solutions that are easy to bypass; VPNs and alternative platforms exist. Those intent on committing fraud will adapt. Ordinary users — journalists, activists, professionals, and private citizens who rely on secure communication — are the ones who stand to lose.' Prior to these ideas, DICT had proposed mandatory social media registration, which also drew criticism from privacy advocates.
