Last materially reviewed: September 3, 2026
Direct Answer
This glossary explains common Philippine technology-law terms in practical language for business owners, consumers, employees and digital teams. Terms link into Cybercode authority guides where a deeper legal or procedural explanation is available.
A-Z: A · B · C · D · E · I · L · M · O · P · S · T · V
A
- Administrative fine
- A monetary penalty imposed by a regulator for violations within its administrative jurisdiction, such as certain Data Privacy Act violations.
- Advisory
- Guidance issued by a regulator to explain how laws, rules or regulatory expectations apply to particular situations.
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Systems that perform tasks associated with human intelligence, including prediction, generation, classification or decision support. See AI law Philippines.
- Automated decision-making
- Processing in which a system makes or materially supports decisions with limited or no human involvement, potentially triggering privacy obligations.
- Authentication
- Verification of identity or origin, relevant to electronic signatures, account access and evidentiary reliability.
B
- Biometric data
- Data derived from biological or behavioral characteristics used to identify or verify a person, such as fingerprints or facial templates.
- Breach notification
- Formal notification to regulators and/or affected individuals when legal thresholds for a personal data breach are met. See NPC breach notification guide.
C
- Clickwrap agreement
- An online contract mechanism requiring a user to affirmatively click acceptance of terms.
- Cloud service provider
- A vendor providing hosted computing, storage, software or infrastructure services. Legal issues commonly include privacy, security, contracts and cross-border processing.
- Computer data
- Digital information represented in a form suitable for processing in a computer system, a key concept in cybercrime law.
- Computer-related fraud
- Fraud carried out by inputting, altering, deleting or interfering with computer data or systems. See computer-related fraud guide.
- Consent
- A freely given, specific and informed indication of agreement to personal-data processing when consent is the applicable lawful basis.
- Consumer
- An individual who purchases or uses goods or services, including in internet transactions subject to consumer-protection rules.
- Controller
- Short form for personal information controller: the person or organization that determines why and how personal data is processed.
- Cross-border data transfer
- Transfer or remote access of personal data across national borders, often requiring contractual and organizational safeguards.
- Cybercrime
- Criminal conduct involving computers, data, networks or online systems, including offenses under RA 10175. See RA 10175 guide.
- Cyber libel
- Libel committed through a computer system and prosecuted under applicable libel law together with the Cybercrime Prevention Act. See online libel guide.
D
- Data processing system
- A system or organized process used to collect, store, use, disclose or otherwise process personal data.
- Data Protection Officer (DPO)
- The person designated to oversee an organization’s compliance with data-protection obligations.
- Data sharing agreement
- An agreement governing defined sharing of personal data between parties, subject to applicable NPC rules.
- Data subject
- The individual whose personal data is processed.
- Data subject rights
- Rights granted to individuals under the Data Privacy Act, including rights to information, access, correction and other remedies.
- Deceptive design pattern
- A user-interface practice designed to manipulate or impair user choice, including privacy choices.
- Digital evidence
- Information in digital form offered as evidence, subject to rules on relevance, authenticity, admissibility and weight.
- Digital signature
- A type of electronic signature using cryptographic methods to verify identity and integrity. See digital vs electronic signatures.
- Digital platform
- An online service or system that enables interactions, transactions, content, marketplaces or other digital activity.
E
- Electronic Commerce Act
- Republic Act No. 8792, the principal Philippine law recognizing electronic documents, electronic signatures and electronic transactions. See RA 8792 guide.
- Electronic contract
- A contract formed through electronic means such as websites, apps, email or digital platforms.
- Electronic data message
- Information generated, sent, received or stored by electronic, optical or similar means, a core concept under RA 8792.
- Electronic document
- Information represented in electronic form that may receive legal recognition under the Electronic Commerce Act and evidentiary rules.
- Electronic evidence
- Electronic or digital information used in a legal proceeding. See electronic evidence guide.
- Electronic signature
- An electronic method, mark or process used to identify a person and indicate approval or authentication, subject to applicable legal requirements. See electronic signatures guide.
- E-marketplace
- A digital platform facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers, including marketplaces covered by the Internet Transactions Act.
- E-retailer
- An online seller operating its own digital channel or site rather than only through a third-party marketplace.
I
- Identity theft
- Unauthorized acquisition, use or misuse of identifying information, including computer-related identity theft under RA 10175. See identity theft guide.
- Illegal access
- Access to the whole or part of a computer system without right, an offense under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
- Internet transaction
- A transaction conducted through the internet and potentially governed by RA 11967 and other consumer, contract and privacy laws.
- Internet Transactions Act
- Republic Act No. 11967, governing duties and protections in internet transactions. See RA 11967 guide.
- Intermediary
- A service or entity that transmits, hosts, facilitates or otherwise participates between parties in digital communications or transactions, depending on the law involved.
L
- Lawful basis
- A legally recognized ground permitting processing of personal data, such as consent, contract, legal obligation or legitimate interest depending on the circumstances.
- Legitimate interest
- A lawful basis for certain processing when the controller’s legitimate purpose is necessary and does not override the rights and interests of the data subject.
- License agreement
- A contract granting defined rights to use software, content, intellectual property or technology. See software licensing guide.
M
- Marketplace liability
- The potential legal responsibility of an online marketplace for duties, disclosures, consumer remedies or prohibited conduct under applicable law. See marketplace liability guide.
- Model contractual clauses
- Standard contract clauses published by a regulator to help organizations structure compliant cross-border personal-data transfers.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- An authentication method requiring two or more verification factors; recognized in several security and financial regulations.
O
- Online merchant
- A seller offering goods or services through the internet and subject to applicable registration, disclosure and consumer-protection duties.
- Online contract
- A contract entered into electronically, including through websites, apps, clickwrap terms or email. See online contracts guide.
- Online terms and conditions
- Contractual terms presented on a website or digital service governing use, purchases, liability and other obligations. See terms and conditions guide.
- Outsourcing
- Engaging another organization to process data or perform technology functions, usually requiring contractual controls, security and accountability.
P
- Personal data
- A collective term for personal information, sensitive personal information and privileged information under Philippine privacy law.
- Personal information
- Information from which an individual can be identified directly or when combined with other information. See personal information guide.
- Personal information controller (PIC)
- The person or organization that controls the collection, holding, processing or use of personal data.
- Personal information processor (PIP)
- A person or organization processing personal data on behalf of a controller.
- Privacy impact assessment (PIA)
- A structured assessment of privacy risks, impacts and safeguards associated with a processing activity or system.
- Privacy notice
- A transparency notice explaining how an organization collects, uses, shares, retains and protects personal data. See privacy notice requirements.
- Profiling
- Automated processing used to evaluate or predict aspects of an individual’s behavior, preferences, performance or circumstances.
S
- SaaS agreement
- A contract for software delivered as an online service, often addressing access, security, privacy, availability, support and termination. See SaaS agreements guide.
- Security incident
- An event affecting or potentially affecting confidentiality, integrity or availability of personal data or information systems.
- Sensitive personal information
- Categories of personal information given heightened protection under the Data Privacy Act, including certain health, education, government-issued and other sensitive data.
- SIM Registration Act
- Republic Act No. 11934, requiring registration of subscriber identity modules and regulating related registration information.
- Software license
- The legal permission defining how software may be installed, copied, accessed, modified or distributed.
T
- Technology vendor
- A supplier of software, cloud, infrastructure, cybersecurity or other digital services that may create contractual, privacy and security obligations.
- Terms of use
- Contractual rules governing access to and use of a website, application or digital service.
- Trade secret
- Confidential business information that derives value from secrecy and is protected through contractual and other legal measures.
V
- Vendor due diligence
- Review of a supplier’s legal, security, privacy, operational and contractual risk before engagement.
- Verification
- A process of checking identity, authenticity, integrity or compliance depending on the legal context.
Official Sources
- Republic Act No. 8792 — Electronic Commerce Act
- Republic Act No. 10175 — Cybercrime Prevention Act
- Republic Act No. 10173 — Data Privacy Act (NPC)
- Republic Act No. 11967 — Internet Transactions Act
Related Resources
- Technology Law hub
- Philippine Technology Laws Database
- Data Privacy Laws & NPC Issuances Database
- Cybersecurity Glossary
Disclaimer
Important: This article provides general educational information about Philippine law, regulation, cybersecurity, technology, or business compliance. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, agency procedures, technical standards, platform rules, and the facts of each situation may change the result. Verify current requirements through the cited official sources and seek qualified professional advice when your rights, deadlines, money, safety, or legal exposure may be affected.