Discord inaccessible on some PH internet providers after government ultimatum

The CICC has not confirmed whether it ordered ISPs to block Discord over the local compliance deadline.

Discord has become inaccessible on some Philippine internet service providers shortly after the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center gave the platform 24 hours to establish a local presence.

As of Wednesday night, Sept. 23, Discord was reportedly inaccessible on Globe and DITO, while it remained accessible on networks such as Smart and Converge.

radar also experienced access problems across Discord’s browser, desktop, and mobile versions. On mobile, the app remained stuck on cached content; the desktop app was stuck on “Starting…”; and the web version displayed a privacy error.

The access problems come as Discord and Reddit respond to the CICC’s 24-hour ultimatum.

The CICC later clarified that the extension granted in connection with its directive applies only to Reddit, not Discord.

Philstar Tech had earlier reported that Discord sent a letter expressing its willingness to work with authorities. The platform also offered to discuss its existing measures to protect minors, including age-assurance tools and channels for law-enforcement requests.

Reddit, meanwhile, remains accessible on both web and mobile as of publication.

It remains unclear whether Discord’s inaccessibility on some networks is connected to the CICC directive. The agency has not publicly said that it ordered the current ISP-level disruption.

The CICC had ordered both platforms on Sept. 21 to designate resident agents or local representatives who could facilitate Philippine jurisdiction and coordination with authorities. It warned that failure to comply could lead to restrictions on their operations or users’ access in the Philippines.

The directive followed concerns over online safety, including the use of platforms to spread violent extremist content and exploit minors, after the Sept. 18 shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato. The agency also asked the platforms to submit plans covering stronger safety standards, rapid-response mechanisms, and age-verification or age-assurance measures.

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