PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have drafted the youth from Quezon City as champions of safe spaces online. More than 100 participants from different barangays in the city joined the #CyberSmart: Creating Safer Spaces in the Digital World held at the Quezon City Hall. The seminar was also streamed online, garnering more than 1,800 views.

“The local government of Quezon City recognizes our responsibility to keep our beloved QCitizens safe both online and offline. We continue to promote digital literacy as well as the responsible use of technology to all our citizens,” said Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

“PLDT and Smart continue to cultivate a culture of digital safety as we empower our youth to become our agents of becoming better digital citizens for their families and their communities,” said Cathy Yang, FVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart.

The hybrid seminar included topics on Cyber Security and Internet Safety. Kristian Pagurayan, Junior Manager for Cyber Security Governance of PLDT and Smart’s Cyber Security Operations Group, identified common phishing tactics that criminals employ to trick users into revealing their personal information.

Yves Gonzalez, Google Government Affairs and Public Policy Head, reminded participants that what they share online may have a lasting effect on their lives. Gonzalez also stressed the importance of using strong passwords for separate accounts.

Elijah Mendoza, Senior Manager for Digital Communications at PLDT and Smart, discussed securing online storage also known as the cloud. He also noted the need to keep backup copies of the files in physical devices like hard drives.

Mitch Bustamante, PLDT Head of Data Protection Education and Assessments, talked about protecting one’s data and managing his or her digital footprint. She cautioned the youth against oversharing on social media as scammers are on the lookout to steal personal data.

Max Limpag, InnoPub Media Co-founder, helped participants identify fake news. Common red flags to watch out for include grammatical errors, misspelled words and unfounded claims.

The efforts of PLDT and Smart to share #CyberSmart tips on keeping customers safe online are fundamental to the PLDT Group’s much broader program to elevate the quality of customer experience by protecting them from threats and cyber-attacks.

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