After being in hot water with the Discord ban in the Philippines, the Department of Information and Communications Technology is seemingly starting to have a reconstruction of its staff, starting with the resignation of ex-DICT Secretary Henry Aguda… Now, we would think they would hire someone a bit more tech-savvy, who’s more familiar with the times. Entering into the picture is Robert Joseph M. de Claro, the SSS president and chief executive officer… Some expressed their support through likes, while some Filipinos also reacted with a laughing emoji, many expressing that Robert is too “tanders” to lead a field, albeit still in an interim role, where keeping up with the times is a minimum requirement. Before we judge though, who is Robert Joseph M. de Claro, and why should gamers care?

Henry Aguda’s Resignation via DICT’s Official Facebook Page

Who is Robert Joseph M. de Claro?

Robert Joseph de Claro via DICT’s Official Facebook Page

According to his public profile on the SSS website, Robert Joseph M. de Claro graduated from De La Salle University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, specializing in Information Technology.

With 33 years of experience of leading startups and operating entities under his belt, he is expected to give full excellence in delivering, to what we believe, what the DICT currently needs: A proper direction with their implementations and proper decision-making in the ICT development of the country, and especially in the Gaming Industry.

Why should Gamers Care?

With the recent controversy of the Discord ban, Robert now stands in a position of whether to actually properly research when they do these types of things and understand what went right and what went wrong in the whole process. Is he up to date on what new technology and applications are being used? Does he understand the importance of having these platforms accessible, not just to gamers, but to the public in general?

CICC Clarification 24 Hour Directive on Discord via CICC’s Facebook Page

We all know what happened with the Discord controversy and WHY it happened. It was the lack of research and proper understanding of what Discord is. Yes, there is a possibility that extremist communities exist in Discord, but thousands of Filipinos use Discord for work, communication, and gaming. Them saying they didn’t know that Discord was used for these things made it clear that they didn’t research properly, making their incompetence not just a gamer's problem, but every Filipino Discord user’s problem.

With these issues, let’s take a look at the bills proposed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, which are the “SMART KIDS” Bill and the “Safe Kids” Act.

What is the “SMART KIDS” Senate Bill No. 2424?

Senate Bill No. 2424, or the Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (SMART KIDS), seeks to restrict Filipino children (Ages 18 and below) from accessing social media and/or “high-risk digital services”.

Sponsored by Senator Robin Padilla, this seeks the removal of social media accounts of younger Filipinos aged 18 and below and restricts them from making new accounts for their overall safety.

What Makes this Different to the “SAFE KIDS” Act from the House of Representatives?

Instead of an outright ban, the House Bill No. 11566 or “SAFE KIDS” Act focuses on establishing proper safety and regulatory measures for children on social media platforms and gaming regardless of age.

This focuses more on the overall well-being of minors accessing social media and proper guidelines to ensure that minors are safe and protected.

Though Outside of Their Jurisdiction, what does the DICT Do in All of This?

DICT via Wikipedia

The DICT will be called as the resource to confirm statements from the bicameral conference committee, of which new DICT Secretary Robert Joseph de Claro will probably be the representative.

Robert needs to have a full understanding of social media and gaming. He does have a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and 33 years of experience under his belt, but that doesn’t mean he has a true understanding of social media, and especially gaming.

What Does This All Mean for a Gamer?

The ban, if not handled well, will affect how pop culture will be in the Philippines. Gaming has been a HUGE part of its culture, especially with Esports raking in awards for the country.

Yes, we understand that we all want protection for our children, but these frustrations stem from lack of proper regulation, not just because someone is simply a gamer.

A gamer just wants to play, to have fun solo or even play with friends! Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding gamers has been solidified by false narratives, and who painted these narratives? Older people in authority who don’t understand what it means to be a gamer or understand what its connected platforms do.

And Gaming isn’t just simply “Gaming”, but it's a whole industry!

Gaming over the years has evolved into this big industry that employs thousands of Filipinos to work on big and small games, and how did these people start in the industry? By being gamers first!

We gamers started playing in computer shops, handhelds, consoles, and even simple mobile games, and having locked access to these treasures is such a huge disservice to kids. Let kids be kids, and let parents educate their kids with proper online regulation from the government. We want protection, but is it worth it to lock a child’s potential just because people who made the law don’t understand what games are?

Is Age Truly the Issue?

Robert Joseph de Claro via Rappler

It’s up for debate to whether being a “tanders” is the issue in implementing and regulating online safety. Do we need someone younger, someone who truly understands what gaming and its online platforms are, or do we just need someone in general that understands what these spaces are.

Only time will tell how, not only Robert, but the whole government will handle these issues through the bicameral conference. Please, be SMART ADULTS.