Senate approves bill restricting social media use among minors
The Senate has approved on third and final reading the bill restricting the use of social media among children below 18 years old.
Under Senate Bill No. 2424, or the "Child Online Safety and Protection Act," children below 16 will not be allowed to use or access social media platforms. Meanwhile, those between 16 and 18 may access and use age-restricted platforms subject to age assurance requirements.
The upper chamber gave the OK for the bill with a 16-1-0 vote, with Sen. Risa Hontiveros giving the lone negative vote.
"Social media has become a space where young people build and maintain their connections with their friends, communities, families, and loved ones," she explained, arguing that the youth also work on social media as online sellers, content creators, and virtual assistants.
"An outright ban strips away these very connections that have become so important in their day-to-day lives."
Hontiveros instead called for "tiered restrictions" for adolescents, which include limited adult contact and targeted advertising.
On the other hand, Sen. Migz Zubiri called it a "landmark" measure, saying, "It is time and age that we need social media guidance and regulation. All over the world, it's happening."
Senate President Win Gatchalian also described the bill as "important," amid recent cases of violence in schools.
Under the bill, children under 16 would be banned from social media platforms, excluding email, private messaging services, online gaming services, educational platforms approved by the Department of Education, digital news services, and enterprise, workplace, or professional collaboration tools.
Social media platforms outside the Philippines would be urged to comply with the bill and designate a legal representative and a local office within the country.
Platforms found to be in violation of the act will be subject to a fine between P1 million and P20 million, suspension, restriction, or revocation of operations within the Philippines.
Additionally, parents will be held liable if they create accounts for children under 16.
On Oct. 6, the House of Representatives approved on second reading a similar bill restricting social media use among minors.
Several countries, including Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Turkiye, and the UAE, have implemented a social media ban on children under 16.
However, Australia's internet regulator eSafety found that three months after the December 2025 rollout of the ban in the country, kids under 16 could still use social media.