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In partnership with Google Philippines, Pinoy indie folk band Ben&Ben dropped a new single “Mag-Ingat,” a timely advocacy song for internet safety given the current new normal setup.

Released on Tuesday, Ben&Ben marked the Safer Internet Day celebration with the 2-minute music video which has catchy lyrics and an interesting way to campaign for responsible use of the digital space.

It addressed online threats including scams, misinformation, catfishing, and the importance of critical thinking and verifying information using trusted sources to protect oneself and others.

“Nasa ating mga palad ang kakayahang suriin mabuti ang nababasa. Nasa ating mga puso ang masigurado na tayo ay nag-iingat,” a part of the lyrics said.

According to the band, they immediately agreed to the collaboration with Google, when the company approached them last year.

Miguel Benjamin Guico said internet safety is something close to them, especially amid the pandemic when a lot of their activities shifted online.

“The advocacy of internet safety is so close to our hearts. Now, everyone thrives online, in the space of the internet, especially 2020 onwards. Most, if not all, of our activities are done in a space that is online,” Miguel said.

“When we got word of a potential collaboration with Google, we immediately hopped in on it.”

Poch Barretto added that the song was written and recorded in a playful manner to avoid making it sound as if “preaching” to the audience.

“We all approached the song with that kind of mindset and heart,” he said.

“Hindi siya preachy. You like listening to it and before you know it, you’re singing what the song is saying. That's the whole ethos in guiding the creation process,” Guico added.

Ben&Ben made sure to be clear with the message of the song that while there is freedom on the internet as a communal space, there should also be a responsibility to be observed among users.

“In freedom, there is still the responsibility to be cautious and be meticulous. And to still choose the right things. Kasi there should be order in freedom. There should be cohesion in freedom,” Barretto explained.

• Ben&Ben is most streamed Filipino artist on Spotify

“The realization ultimately is the internet is such a communal space. No matter where you are from, saan man sa mundo, it's such a communal space. There are certain responsibilities that come along with it and you can't just do anything that you want,” Guico said.

Meanwhile, Google Philippine country director Bernadette Nacario thanked the group and Sony Music for agreeing to do the project.

“As the world celebrates Safer Internet Day, it is an honor to share with you that we have partnered with Ben&Ben through Sony Music to promote internet safety using the beautiful force of music,” Nacario said.

Also present at the launch was National Privacy commissioner Atty. John Henry Du Naga.

“This kind of cooperation is exactly what the commission needs from our stakeholders in order for us to be digitally empowered. And empower our people and ensure safety within the digital space,” he said.

Ben&Ben was recently hailed as the most streamed Filipino artist so far in the music streaming platform Spotify with over one billion streams.