23 minute read
ReportItDontShareIt
A
s part of its ongoing efforts to prevent and eradicate sexual exploitation and abuse of children online, Facebook, together with its partners across the Asia-Pacific, launched its public safety campaign against Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in 10 countries including the Philippines. The campaign aims to raise awareness on how the public can help prevent the revictimization of affected children by reporting CSAM content to Facebook and law enforcement and avoid sharing these malicious content.
Over the past year, Facebook consulted the worldleading experts in child exploitation, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Professor Ethel Quayle, a worldleading clinical psychologist who specializes in sex offenders, to improve the company’s understanding of why people share child exploitation content.
The campaign was launched in light of the recent findings from research conducted by Facebook on its CyberTips with the US-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). This was done to better understand why people may share CSAM on Facebook and its family of apps. The study evaluated 150 accounts that were reported to NCMEC for uploading CSAM in July and August of 2020 and January 2021.
Results have shown that more than 75% of these materials did not exhibit malicious intent to harm a child, but appeared to be shared for other reasons, such as outrage or poor humor. Data also showed that more than 90% of CSAM were reshares of previously reported content. While this data indicates that the number of pieces of content does not equal the number of victims, the same content, potentially slightly altered, is being shared repeatedly. “While this data indicates that the number of pieces of content does not equal the number of victims, one victim is one too many. Preventing and eradicating online child sexual exploitation and abuse requires a cross-industry approach, and Facebook is committed to doing its part to protect children on and off our apps. We are taking a research-informed approach to develop effective solutions that disrupt the sharing of child exploitation material,” - said Malina Enlund, Facebook Safety Policy Manager, APAC.
As part of the campaign, Facebook released a public service announcement video that stresses the impact of CSAM on the victimized children, especially when these are re-shared online. Instead, the public is encouraged to report CSAM content to Facebook, through the in-app reporting channels, and the authorities to better help and protect the young victims.
In the Philippines, Facebook has partnered with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography (IACACP), Stairway Foundation, and Child Rights Network in rolling out the campaign locally.
“While this data indicates that the number of pieces of content does not equal the number of victims, one victim is one too many. Preventing and eradicating online child sexual exploitation and abuse requires a cross-industry approach, and Facebook is committed to doing its part to protect children on and off our apps. We are taking a research-informed approach to develop effective solutions that disrupt the sharing of child exploitation material,” - said Malina Enlund, Facebook Safety Policy Manager, APAC.
For Assistant Secretary Glenda Relova of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and IACACP, “We will work hand-in-hand with Facebook and its other safety partners to reduce the sharing of CSAM online and help bring to justice those who are responsible. We will keep a vigilant eye to ensure that children are given proper protection from sexual exploitation and abuse–be it online or offline.”
Aside from government stakeholders, nongovernment organization partners also call for the public’s help to take part in the fight against sharing of CSAM. “It is crucial that we make everyone understand that we should not re-share CSAM content even if it is to express anger or condemnation as it only causes more harm than help to the victimized children. Many people might do this out of concern, but there is a more appropriate way to help. At Stairway Foundation, we will always advocate and help create a safe environment for children, wherein their rights are equally respected and protected. Together with Facebook, we seek to strengthen this commitment more than ever through this campaign,” added Ace Diloy, senior advocacy officer at Stairway Foundation.
For Rom Dongeto, executive director of Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), the current convenor of the Child Rights Network, “A child should have special protection and opportunities given by the law that safeguards their human rights. The Child Rights Network will critically monitor the implementation of these protective laws and policies for children–and together with Facebook, we will implement programs and launch appropriate action to end child abuse and enable children to grow in a safer community.”
Apart from this campaign, Facebook continues to work on other initiatives against child exploitation online–from educating users through product and other public safety campaigns, to working with different partners and law enforcement agencies to raise awareness on reporting mechanisms both on and off its platform.
Report It. Don’t Share It. You can help a child by reporting child exploitation content. If a child is at risk, call and report it to 1343 or #163. If you see images on Facebook of a child being abused, report the photo or video to Facebook and law enforcement. Do not share, download, or comment on the content. There can be criminal penalties to share, or send messages with, photos and videos of children being sexually abused and exploited. You won’t be asked to provide a copy of the content in any report you submit to Facebook.
EPSON PRODUCTS RECOGNIZED IN IF DESIGN AWARD 2021
Epson printers and projectors have been named iF Design Award 2021 winners by Hanover-based iF International Forum Design GmbH.
Created in 1953, the iF Design Award is recognized around the world as one of the most prestigious awards for innovative industrial product design excellence. Products are evaluated based on a wide range of criteria— including practicability, workmanship, consideration of environmental standards, degree of elaboration and innovation, functionality, usability, safety, aesthetics, and universal design. This year’s winners were selected from 10,000 entries from 52 countries and regions by a 98-member jury composed of experts from around the world.
PROFESSIONAL PHOTO PRINTERS
• SC-P900/SC-P906/SC-P700/SC-P706 • Equivalent models available in SE Asia are SC-P703 and SC-P903 These photographic high-quality inkjet printers supporting the A2 extra and A3 extra sizes achieve an outstanding compact size with exceptional expressive power for professional photographers and photo enthusiasts. After ten years, we reviewed the image quality, unit size, exterior design, and usability from scratch to create flagship models fit to lead a new era of photograph production.
LARGE FORMAT PRINTERS
• R5000/R5000L, SCR5070/SCR5070L • Equivalent models available in SE Asia are SC-R5030 and SC-R5030L These are Epson’s first resin-ink printers for large-sign vendors. Equipped with precision media handling developed for earlier models and technology for exceptional print quality, they provide improved environmental performance and productivity. For outstanding environmental performance, Epson used aqueous resin ink containing a low volatile organic compound (VOC) and reduced waste by about 80% by using high-capacity ink packs instead of ink cartridges. For higher productivity, resin ink not only enables excellent print quality with a wide color gamut but dries quickly, to deliver output in a short time. This ink also boasts excellent media compatibility and supports a wide range of media other than PVC.
The use of two sets of high-capacity ink packs enables hot swaps and continuous operation. A wide transparent window and LED lighting allow users to quickly check prints. A resin exterior is used for the safe operation of the parts operated manually, and a front full-open cover is used for ease of maintenance. By reducing the replacement frequency and using two sets of high-capacity ink packs, Epson allows ink to be hot-swapped, thereby avoiding interruptions to operations and reducing operators’ workloads.
MINI LASER SMART PROJECTOR
• EF-12
Millennials and those in Generation Z are particularly apt to watch movies and videos online, and the EF-12 was designed with them in mind. It’s equipped with Android TV, so users can easily watch videos as long as there is Wi-Fi, just as they can with a smartphone. With many people favoring minimalism by keeping their homes simple and uncluttered, this projector’s clean and simple styling makes it a fit for any décor even when not in use. And when it is in use, it delivers a powerful video experience that belies its small size and lightweight, with a picture up to 150 inches and a 2.0-channel speaker.
SMART LASER PROJECTION TV
The EH-LS300 is a home projector equipped with an ultra-short-throw lens. You can easily create a home theater with a screen of up to 120 inches simply by placing the projector in front of a wall. The laser light source produces 3,600 lumens so you can enjoy vivid images even in a bright living room. The 2.1-channel speaker system provides excellent sound quality and a realistic 3D surround experience, so there is no need to purchase a soundbar. The projector is intended for use in the living room but is portable and can be carried to a bedroom or set up outdoors for projection on an exterior wall. The bottom is rounded to make it easy to carry.
DIGITAL SIGNAGE PROJECTORS
• EB-L255F/EB-L250F/EB-L200W • Model available in SE Asia is EB L200W
These projectors can project sharp, vivid images in well-lit environments, such as meeting rooms and in-store displays. Whereas earlier models used a lamp light source that limits projection angles, this projector uses a laser light source, which sweeps away these limitations and allows it to be used even for things such as spatial staging and signage. The projector delivers up to 4,500 lumens of brightness yet is extremely compact, so it will be an unobtrusive presence within a store. The laser light source has a long service life, so it can be used safely even in applications where it is on for long periods of time.
TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand, announced its partnership with internationally renowned actor Chris Evans as its brand ambassador. Best known for his role as Captain America in the Marvel Universe series of films, the charismatic Chris Evans embodies many of the qualities that have been synonymous with TECNO, especially the Stop at Nothing brand philosophy which aims to inspire people to always stay young at heart and never stop pursuing excellence. Talking about the partnership with TECNO, Chris Evans said, “I am happy to partner with Tecno, an innovative smartphone brand which provides consumers in emerging markets with the newest smartphone technology. Whether it’s a phone call with someone you love or an image you capture to keep as a meaningful memory, smartphone technology is at the center of it all. It is really inspiring to work with such a great brand that stops at nothing to encourage people in those markets to explore more possibilities.” Stephen Ha, general manager of TECNO Mobile, said, “TECNO is committed to giving the masses access to the latest technology, allowing the consumers to reach beyond their current limitations and uncover a world of possibilities. Chris Evans embodies TECNO’s ‘young at heart’ brand motto and its pursuit of excellence. This partnership enhances TECNO’s continuous global footprint and helps to highlight the brand’s upgraded product design, which is increasingly fashionable, energetic, and constantly pioneering. I firmly believe the association will bring us an opportunity to grow within our existing customer base and enable us to go further on brand globalization.”
The partnership with Chris Evans is another milestone for TECNO after its association with Manchester City Football Club and is part of TECNO global brand upgrading strategy, which aims to unlock the best of contemporary technologies in artistic designs, showcasing its mastery of serving the youthgeneration consumers through the innovation, technological and artistic progression in the emerging markets worldwide.
Chris Evans led the launch of TECNO CAMON 17 on May 4, 2021, and will be featured in TECNO’s brand campaigns in emerging markets.
AST SPACEMOBILE ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION WITH SMART COMMUNICATIONS
AST SpaceMobile, Inc., the company building the first and only spacebased cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate with Smart Communications, a leading mobile services provider in the Philippines.
The combined effort would explore opportunities to extend SpaceMobile cellular broadband connectivity to the Philippines mainland, islands, and surrounding waters after the service is launched.
“Our collaboration with Smart to look into opportunities to offer the SpaceMobile service to their customers in rural communities would allow the company to offer affordable broadband cellular access to the unconnected for the first time ever,” said Abel Avellan, chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “With this MoU, we have entered into agreements and understandings with mobile network operators which collectively cover approximately 1.4 billion mobile subscribers.”
Under the MoU, AST SpaceMobile will seek to offer cellular broadband network coverage to approximately 70 million Smart subscribers following the execution of definitive agreements and the successful launch of the SpaceMobile service.
“This collaboration between Smart and AST SpaceMobile strongly supports this vision, as we continue to invest in our networks and explore the most relevant innovations that will enable us to continue expanding the reach of our services alongside delivering exceptional customer experience across the Philippines’ more than 7,000 islands,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, Smart Communications president and CEO. “This new satellite communications technology aims to help us accomplish our mission of connecting the entire nation, where nobody gets left behind.”
AIR21 STRENGTHENS TEAM BY TRANSFORMING INTO MINI-BUSINESS UNITS
AIR21, the country’s reliable total logistics solutions provider, has constantly upgraded its teams to become more efficient, organized, and responsive to the needs of its clients. With its 42nd anniversary theme of Kasama Mo sa Bawat Hamon ng Panahon, AIR21 is proud to introduce its MiniBusiness Unit (MBU) teams — the teams dedicated to providing you with better logistics services. This system groups AIR21’s larger operations teams into smaller, more focused units that promote leadership routines, concentrated engagement, and fundamental problem solving for their specific tasks.
Every MBU team consists of a coach, a team leader, and its members. Coaches ensure that the MBU’s principles and goals are communicated properly. The team leader makes sure that the team’s members achieve these. Regular Multi-Level Meetings with the leadership team help keep the MBU’s goals aligned and always focused on improvement.
The five MBU teams are named SMART, SPEED, and STEEL for AIR21’s NCR and greater Luzon operations, and SORT and DEO (Data Entry Operators) for AIR21’s cargo sorting, consolidation, and data encoding. An additional three teams were also established last year — team Savior, in charge of pharmaceutical delivery operations; team FMG, in charge of truck maintenance and acquisition; and team STAR, in charge of warehouse operations.
Through this simple yet efficient system, AIR21 can better its services and remain the best logistics solutions provider in the Philippines. It has only been a few years, but the MBU teams have already shown an increase in improving their work to benefit AIR21 and its customers.
“As we celebrate our 42nd year in the industry, creating the mini-business unit transformation program is a testament to our commitment to investing in our people. Together with improved processes and innovation, we are always up to the challenge of what our environment brings,” says AIR21 founding chairman Alberto D. Lina.
YOUTUBE SHORTS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Starting July 13, YouTube fans in the Philippines will be able to enjoy YouTube’s new short-form video experience to create short, catchy videos using nothing but their mobile phones.
Shorts is the platform’s new shortform video experience to create short, catchy videos from mobile phones. First announced in September 2020, YouTube has since expanded the feature to 26 countries including the Philippines, making it available across more than 100 countries where YouTube is available.
While short-form videos were already viewable on the platform, users will now be able to access Shorts’ creation tools which include a multi-segment camera to string multiple video clips together, the ability to record with music, control speed settings, and more. YouTube will also be bringing new features such as:
• Adding text to specific points in videos • Automatically adding captions to Shorts • Recording up to 60 seconds with the Shorts camera • Adding clips from a phone’s gallery to add to recordings made with the Shorts camera • Adding basic filters to color correct Shorts, with more effects to come in the future
The new features also include the ability to sample audio not only from other Shorts but also from the billions of videos available on YouTube, unlocking a new playground of creativity like never before. This means that users can give their own creative spin on the content they love to watch and help find a new audience. From reacting to favorite jokes, trying a hand at a creator’s latest recipe, or re-enacting comedic skits, creators will be in control and will be able to opt-out if they don’t want their long-form video remixed.
“We want to make it easy and fun to create Shorts,” said Todd Sherman, Global Product Manager for YouTube Shorts. “As we continue to build Shorts alongside our creators and artists, we’ll be adding more features for people to try,” he added.
Delivering a seamless viewing experience across YouTube
Helping people find Shorts to enjoy and creators get discovered is also a key component of the product experience. That is why even before announcing the creation tools, YouTube introduced a row on the YouTube homepage especially for Shorts, launched a new watch experience that lets viewers easily swipe vertically from one video to the next, and will soon add a Shorts tab on mobile that makes it easier for people to watch Shorts with a single tap.
As of July 2021, the YouTube Shorts player has surpassed 6.5 billion daily views globally.
Shorts will be integrated into the YouTube experience people already know and love: if they hear a snippet of a song on Shorts, they can easily find the full song, watch the music video, or learn more about the artist.
Supporting mobile creators
YouTube has helped an entire generation of creators turn their creativity into businesses and become the next generation media companies. Over the last three years, the company has paid more than USD30-billion to creators, artists, and media companies.
With Shorts being a new way to watch and create on YouTube, the company has been looking at various ways to monetize Shorts and reward creators for their content, including the recently announced YouTube Shorts Fund, amounting to USD100-million distributed over the course of 20212022.
“We know that it will take us time to get this right, and we’re just getting started. We can’t wait for you to try Shorts and help us build a first-class, short-form video experience right on YouTube,” Sherman said.
The Shorts beta is rolling out in more countries and will be available to everybody soon.
GLOBE EXPANDS 5G ROAMING COVERAGE
Globe continues to ramp up its roster of 5G-ready partner companies ahead of the travel industry’s gradual recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The telco sealed deals with the largest telco operators in the following locations to give customers traveling in these countries access to 5G roaming services: Vivacom in Bulgaria, Viettel of Vietnam, and China Mobile of China. By August, it will also partner with Tele2 of Sweden and Vivo of Brazil.
The announcement of these new locations and partnerships confirms Globe’s 5G outbound roaming availability in the following locations globally:
ASIA
• Singapore through Singtel • Thailand through AIS Thailand • Vietnam through Viettel • China through China Mobile and China Unicom • Hong Kong through CSL • Taiwan through Taiwan Mobile • South Korea through KT Corp and SK Telecom
MIDDLE EAST
• Kuwait through STC and Ooredoo • Oman through Omantel • Qatar through Ooredoo • Saudi Arabia through Mobily • Turkey through Turkcell • United Arab Emirates through du and Etisalat
EUROPE
• Bulgaria through Vivacom • Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden through Telia Company • Italy through Telecom Italia
NORTH AMERICA
• Canada through Telus • United States of America through AT&T
“We continuously build partnerships with telcos from all over the world so we can provide our customers with better data roaming experience at affordable costs, wherever they may be,” said Coco Domingo, Globe vice president for Postpaid and International. To experience 5G roaming, Globe postpaid subscribers only have to turn on mobile data and data roaming on their device settings. There is no need to register. Prepaid users may enjoy various roaming promos by registering via the GlobeOne or GCash apps or dialing *143#.
5G can be experienced through affordable Globe roaming promos such as Roam Surf 399 for Postpaid and Prepaid subscribers and its new call and text add-on Roam Surf Plus. Roamers only need to ensure that they are within Globe’s 5G partner locations and are using 5G-enabled mobile devices or handsets.
Meanwhile, Globe’s partnerships with select globally renowned telco operators will allow their subscribers who visit the Philippines to enjoy 5G roaming as long as they are using 5G-enabled phones in 5G locations. To know more about our 5G-ready telco partners, visit glbe. co/5GRoaming.
W
Words by Jose Alvarez
hen the Shinkansen (new main line), or bullet train, came onto the scene in 1964, it was considered a quantum leap in transportation. While electrified trains were around since 1837 (with the first electric train line opening in Germany in 1881), Japan sought to create fast and efficient transportation throughout the islands. Only a couple of decades removed from World War II, was it possible for Japan to actually create the bullet train given the circumstances?
The idea for the bullet train came about during the 1930s when the project was known as dangan ressha (bullet train). This was during the time when Japan was undergoing military expansion in East Asia, entering into conflicts in China and Korea. They had envisioned train speeds of up to 200kph (120mph) between the cities of Tokyo and Shimonoseki, located at the southern tip of Honshu island in 1940. This was when the term Shinkansen was used. The Ministry of Railways had also drawn up more ambitious (if not impossible) plans by extending the railways all the way to China and even as far as Singapore, but these plans were abandoned by 1943.
Following World War II and well into the 1950s, conventional transport continued to flourish in Japan. The Ministry of Railways revisited the project in 1957 as Japan’s railway system reached its capacity. Shinji Sogo, the president of Japanese National Railways (JNR), had started to push for high-speed rail, and got approval at the end of 1958, with construction starting between Tokyo and Osaka in 1959. Sogo resigned as JNR president for keeping the cost figures deliberately low to gain approval from the Japanese government and the World Bank. In the Japanese tradition of resigning to take responsibility for failures or scandals, chief engineer Hideo Shima also resigned, although both men are credited for the development of the bullet train as it opened just in time for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. The line was called the Tokaido Shinkansen (East Sea Route New Main Line), which is the Tokyo-Osaka route.
The Tokyo-Osaka route was cut from six hours and 40 minutes to only 4 hours. The line used a 1,435mm standard gauge rail. This allowed people to take fast trips between the two main cities in Japan — Tokyo and Osaka — which ultimately led to runaway economic success. By 1967, 100-million passengers had taken the route. It only took until 1976 for the line to reach one billion passengers and, by 1992, the railway averaged 23,000 passengers per hour and became the world’s busiest high-speed rail line. Fifty years later, in 2014, the train still averaged around 22,000 passengers per hour.
The bullet train became so popular and gained support from the Japanese government that many new lines were proposed, revolutionizing mass transit in Japan itself. Several new bullet train lines opened in 1975, 1982, 1997, 2004, and 2016, connecting many parts of Honshu, including connecting Honshu with the southern island of Kyushu, and the northern island of Hokkaido. The next phases of the bullet train will open in 2022, with one more phase expected to open in 2030 and one more phase estimated to start construction in 2030 to open in 2045. Despite earthquakes and typhoons happening in Japan on an annual basis, no deaths from derailments or collisions have happened, making the bullet train one of the safest forms of mass transit in the world.
Economically, the high cost of the bullet train forced JNR to privatize and split off into several regions by 1987. These companies, which are part of the Japan Railways Group, are composed of six different passenger rail companies, one freight company, one research organization, and one IT company. Environmentally, it is estimated that traveling the route from Tokyo to Osaka only produces about 16% of the carbon dioxide of the equivalent journey by car, which saves 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, making the bullet train also a breakthrough when it comes to environmentally friendly transportation.
Other countries have also adopted high-speed rail in East Asia, namely China, South Korea, and Taiwan. The first high-speed rail in Southeast Asia in Indonesia from Jakarta to Bandung is expected to open by the end of 2022. Even countries such as Uzbekistan have a high-speed rail line. Japan and China have been the two driving forces in bringing high-speed rail to the rest of the world. If you’re ever on high-speed rail, the bullet train is considered the first step in making ground transportation faster, better, and safer.
Volume XXI Issue XI July 2021
MEET THE TEAM
EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief
MARIBELLE ALBA
Editors-at-Large
PRESY ALBA REN ALCANTARA
Mobility Consultant
ARNEL DORIA
Junior Editor
GABRIEL PE
Writers
JOSE ALVAREZ JEWEL STA. ANA ALISA TAYLOR LIAM MILLS
Interns
TRINITY ANNE SALVIO ALYSSA JOJI SILVA
CREATIVES Creative Consultant
RAYMUND RAVANERA
Creative Lead
JERICO LUTRANIA
Creative Staff
CHINI YU SORIANO CARMELA BIRAO
ADVERTISING Sales and Advertising Manager
MARISA CONSUELO
Account Executive
CAROL AGABIN
ADMINSTRATION President & CEO
MARIBELLE ALBA
Accounting Manager
MARITESS MAULION
HR & Administration Manager
AMY CHRISTINE GIRAY
Circulation Officer
LORIE BERNARDO
Administration Staff
RAMIL ALMOJANO
Legal Counsel
ALBA LAW OFFICE
You want more?
We recommend you check out our other issues
gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Follow us on Social Media
GADGETS Magazine is published monthly by
14/F Net Cube Centre 3rd Avenue corner 30th Street Bonifacio Global City 1635 Taguig City, Philippines Telephone: (+632) 8479-5475 E-mail: info@gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
Digitally powered by
Proud member of
