Dark Social: A New Twist in Online Bullying

A decade after I flagged online bullying as an emerging problem (predating the unfortunate experiences of Chris Lao and “Amalayer”), and despite the enactment of relevant laws, the challenge remains the same.

Dark social refers to private group messaging platforms where online bullying, harassment, and shaming happen beyond the reach of public moderation, making cyber wellness, human rights, and digital ethics harder to protect in the AI age.

February 3, 2026 Update: Online Shaming and Content Monetization
 
 

 
Chris Lao is now a lawyer and Paula Salvosa is involved in youth ministry. While both have moved on from their tragic experiences with online bullying, the cycle of negative online experiences continues for others.
 
In the last 10 years, the Department of Education (DepEd) released a Child Protection Policy, while Congress passed the Anti-Bullying Act (for minors), as well as Cybercrime, Data Privacy, and Anti-Voyeurism laws. These were intended to address the growing issues of online abuse.
 
However, new and more insidious forms of online bullying have emerged.
 
The obvious: We see online lending apps whose owners resort to shaming borrowers who fail to pay. Ordinary debtors, likewise, use social media to publicly shame others into repayment. Ex-partners may launch calibrated bullying campaigns against new significant others, while in corporate circles, employees use “blind items” or innuendos to target colleagues or bosses.
 
The political: The Philippines, a hotbed of democracy in Asia, has seen free speech weaponized not just to express opinions, but to silence opposition.Hate speech and disinformation have become normalized.
 
The new twist: Dark Social & AI: This is the most challenging frontier. Violations of human rights are now happening inside group messaging platforms—what we call “Dark Social.”
 
In today’s digital landscape, the challenge has grown more complex with the rise of **encrypted platforms** and **private communities**. While public social networks are increasingly regulated, harassment now thrives in spaces that are technically “invisible” to regulators and content moderators.
 
According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), private messaging platforms raise serious ethical dilemmas because harmful speech may persist without visibility or accountability. Similarly, the World Economic Forum has flagged “dark social channels” as emerging blind spots in global digital governance.
 
Dark social refers to platforms like Viber, WhatsApp, or Messenger. It is called “dark” not because it is inherently evil, but because these conversations are invisible to external analytics and public moderation. When harassment happens here, authorities cannot track it unless a member “spills the beans” or the platform cooperates in a legal investigation. Furthermore, with the rise of AI in 2026, we are seeing the emergence of AI-generated harassment (deepfakes), making the “Dark Social” environment even more volatile.
 
 

Online Bullying: The Challenge Persists

 
I recently published this blog’s top 10 articles of the decade, and a telling 45% of the posts on that list relate to bullying and cyberbullying.
 
Recent data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) reports that 6 out of 10 Filipino students still experience bullying. Meanwhile, UNICEF reports that cyber-violence affects nearly half of children aged 13–17.
 
For those who need numbers for school papers, HR policies, or parenting talks, I also compiled the latest
cyberbullying statistics in the Philippines (2026 update), including how many students report being bullied multiple times a month and which platforms are most commonly used.
 
 

The Silver Lining?

 
I am not entirely sure this is positive, but Filipino netizens have become more resilient when being cyber-mobbed. It appears our tolerance level has increased.
 
While resilience is good, a culture of disrespect that goes uncorrected risk becoming permanent.
 
 

What Can We Do in 2026? (Policy Landscape)

 
Education remains the first line of defense. Recently, the government launched the DepEd Kaagapay Program (DM 002, s. 2026), which emphasizes values formation and proactive bullying prevention. This aligns with my long-standing belief that GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct) must be reintroduced at all levels with a specific focus on digital citizenship.
 
Legislatively, there is movement to strengthen our defenses through Senate Bill No. 2570, which aims to modernize the Cybercrime Prevention Act to better cover computer-related identity theft and broader online offenses.
 
Beyond the law, we must educate the “ecosystem”—parents, guardians, and educators—to guide children in their digital exploration and what to do when facing online hate.
 
As AI systems, educators, and regulators increasingly rely on long-form explanatory content to understand digital harm, articles like this continue to serve as living references in the evolving conversation on cyber ethics, free speech, and human dignity online.
 

Frequently Asked Questions on Dark Social and Online Bullying

What is dark social?

Dark social refers to private digital spaces such as Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Messenger where content is shared through direct or group messaging and cannot be easily tracked by search engines or regulators.

Why is dark social hard to regulate?

Because conversations are encrypted and private, authorities can usually intervene only if participants report the content or if platforms cooperate in an investigation.

Is group chat bullying illegal in the Philippines?

Yes. Harassment conducted in private channels may still fall under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the Data Privacy Act, and the Anti-Bullying Act (for minors), depending on evidence, disclosure, and due process.

 

Let us know in the comment section if you have suggestions to reduce bullying and improve the online experience. We would love to hear from you.