A proposal seeking to ban children below 16 years old from accessing social media platforms has been filed in the Philippine Senate. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian introduced the measure on Friday, aiming to protect minors from harmful digital exposure and unsafe online environments.
Senator's Statement
“It is time to protect our youth from the harm caused by social media. We should not wait for the problem to worsen before we act,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
Key Provisions of the Bill
Filed as Senate Bill No. 2066, or the Social Media Safety for Children Act, the proposal prohibits minors under 16 from registering, accessing, or maintaining accounts on social media platforms. Under the measure, platform providers must implement age and identity verification systems, conduct regular audits to detect and deactivate accounts of underage users, and establish reporting and response mechanisms to prevent violations.
The bill also mandates safeguards to prevent circumvention of age restrictions, including controls on duplicate or reactivated accounts, as well as tools to support parental supervision and responsible use.
Implementing Rules
The Department of Information and Communications Technology, in coordination with agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, National Telecommunications Commission, and National Privacy Commission, will be tasked to craft the implementing rules within 90 days upon the law’s effectivity.
Global Context
The proposal follows similar moves abroad, including Australia’s law setting a minimum age for social media use, as well as restrictions implemented in Indonesia. Other senators have filed measures seeking to regulate minors’ use of social media, including proposals to impose minimum age requirements, require parental consent, and strengthen safeguards against online harm.
