Content warning: The following report contains references to a school shooting, including deaths and injuries.
Stricter social media regulations for minors were called for by some Filipinos after reports that online content appeared to be glorifying the involvement of minors in the Tacloban City school shooting.
A Reddit user on Tuesday, June 23, expressed concern after seeing TikTok posts that they said appeared to romanticize the incident at San Jose National High School, allegedly carried out by two teenagers.
Two males, aged 14 and 15, reportedly opened fire at the school on the morning of June 22, killing three students and injuring at least 20 others, 15 of whom sustained firearm-related injuries.
RELATED: ‘May pananagutan’: Pangilinan says minor suspects in Tacloban shooting will answer for crime
Authorities imposed a temporary ban on GoreBox, a sandbox game reportedly played by the 14-year-old suspect prior to the incident. The game is described as a “chaotic, physics-driven sandbox game where creativity meets unrestrained destruction.”
The game carries an R18+ rating due to its depictions of extreme violence, although its Android version reportedly includes an option to reduce violent content.
Like many online games, it also features a social text and video chat space where users can interact with others.
Meanwhile, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) Executive Director Undersecretary Alexander Paraiso said the ban was implemented as a “precautionary measure,” adding that authorities could not ignore the possibility that online content may have influenced the minors’ actions.
“We cannot ignore possible online influences that may have contributed to this tragic incident,” he said.
Such concerns have fueled discussions about the kind of online content being consumed by Filipino minors.
One Reddit user recently claimed to have come across a TikTok edit featuring the 14-year-old suspect.
“Poster seems like a troubled Filipino teenager and even wears that same ‘skull mask’ in some of their videos (also popular with other school shooters),” the Redditor wrote in the “r/Philippines” community.
“There are comments that glorify the [two] Tacloban shooters and if you stalk the users, you can figure out that these are Filipino teens too. This style of video editing is rampant in the TCC culture,” the Reddit user added, referring to the “True Crime Community.”
“They like to make edits of school shooters and they tag them under #actor #tcc and show their ‘stats [or] kills:’ -3, meaning 3 people killed. If you check on [TikTok], #tcc #tacloban tags already have some videos up about the two,” the Redditor added.
The user then appealed to adults to “look after” their children, noting that “unsupervised internet addiction” could make young people more vulnerable to engaging with such online communities.
“We must look after our kids, younger siblings, nieces, nephews, students, or any young people in our lives,” the Redditor said.
“Get involved with what kind of peers and online forums they engage with, love them unconditionally, educate yourself about child development, be responsible adults, discipline them properly, do not invalidate signs of mental health problems, and vote decent candidates who won’t sabotage our education sector and intentionally dumb down our youth,” the Reddit user added.
Young Filipinos on TCC Tiktok Glorifying Tacloban Shooters
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u/tinjix in
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Other Reddit users similarly called for stricter regulation of online content accessible to minors.
“I hope hindi ito trigger ng mga copycat attacks for these following weeks, months or even years. We really need to work together to make [a] safety space for kids. This is very, very scary and should be taken seriously,” a Reddit user commented.
“They URGENTLY need safe space ONLINE. You can’t take them out of the internet so there should be strict regulations for minors, especially social media. This also includes regulations and punishments for the parents and guardians,” another Pinoy said.
“Sa mga may anak na babad sa social media dito, please talk to your children, pamangkin, or pinsan about this,” a different Redditor commented.
“Ito ang isa sa mga sitwasyon na pinaka-deadly ang reach ng social media. Gabayan niyo ang mga anak niyo,” another said.
“I oppose the ban of [social media] sa 16 under but dahil sa recent events and also delving into that topic, I think it’s time to ban [social media] and make online spaces stricter,” another Pinoy wrote.
“Fix the parenting issue in our country and sana matakot ‘yung government natin to the point na gumawa sila ng action para maging safe ang mga kabataan. Sana maging strict rin ang NBI when it comes to these topics and sa mga edgy teens na nagpo-promote ng ganto,” the Pinoy added.
Actions
The Palace on Tuesday said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to regulating social media use among minors.
Malacañang also said the president is open to banning violent online games in the country amid discussions that exposure to certain online content may have contributed to the behavior of the minor suspects.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police has urged parents and educators to closely monitor children’s social media activity and gadget use following the incident.
“Parents and guardians serve as the first line of defense. They must be present and vigilant in their children’s digital lives, treating their online activity with the same level of concern as their physical whereabouts,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
Police investigators said one of the suspects had allegedly posted violent and gun-related videos online before the attack, including footage of himself firing a firearm.
The Senate will reopen its inquiry into child safety in digital spaces on July 1 amid growing scrutiny over the potential online radicalization of minors.
Meanwhile, criminal complaints have been filed against the 15-year-old suspect through inquest proceedings before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Tacloban.
The complaints include three counts of murder, three counts of frustrated murder and multiple counts of serious physical injuries.
The 14-year-old suspect, meanwhile, has been turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Office and will undergo the appropriate government-mandated intervention program.
— with reports from Philstar.com/Ian Laqui