Lawmakers in both the Senate and House of Representatives are pushing for tighter safeguards for children on social media following recent school violence involving minors.
Proposals range from a congressional inquiry into the platforms' effects on youth to stricter age restrictions and parental oversight.
Senator Vicente C. Sotto III filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the impact of social media on Filipino children, while House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" G. Dy III and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos III filed House Bill No. 9965, or the proposed Children's Social Media Safety Act.
The resolution aims to examine the effects of excessive screen time and harmful online content on children's mental health and development.
The proposed House measure seeks to shield children from cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation, addiction, anxiety, and other online risks.
Under the bill, children below 13 would be prohibited from creating or using social media accounts. Those aged 13 to 17 could maintain accounts only with verified parental or guardian consent and active supervision.
Social media companies would be required to implement age verification systems, remove accounts that violate the law, provide parental control tools, and apply the highest privacy settings by default for minors.
Platforms must also limit recommendations of harmful content, increase transparency in the use of algorithms, and remove manipulated or artificially generated content that could mislead users.
The bill also directs the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Department of Education to incorporate digital literacy and responsible social media use into the K-to-12 curriculum.
Companies that repeatedly violate the proposed law could face fines ranging from P5 million to P50 million and, in serious cases, temporary suspension from operating in the Philippines.
