Asia · Philippines
Philippine House votes to bar young children from social media
The lower house passed a child online-safety bill that is narrower than the Senate’s under-18 ban. The two chambers must now reconcile their versions.
The Philippine House of Representatives on Monday passed House Bill No. 10858, the Safe and Friendly Environment for Kids in Digital Spaces Act, by 287 votes to 3, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
The bill bars young children from social media platforms. Reuters describes the cut-off as under 13, while the Inquirer reports it as 13 and below. Older minors would get limited access: they would be shielded from harmful advertising, livestreaming and algorithmic short-video feeds, and barred from online purchases and gambling-like features.
The Senate’s version bars all under-18s, so the chambers must reconcile the two bills. The House named Representatives Roman Romulo, Agatha Cruz, Audrey Zubiri and Florabel Yatco to negotiate.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Sunday he was studying the Senate bill and warned that a blanket ban could push children to hide their online activity, Reuters reported. TikTok, Alphabet and Meta did not immediately comment.
Malaysia and Indonesia already restrict social media for under-16s, Reuters noted.
Sources
- Reuters via The Star: Philippine lower house approves bill restricting minors’ social media access
- Philippine Daily Inquirer: House passes bill restricting minors’ social media use
Compiled by The Meridian News Desk from the sources listed above. Eyewitness accounts are attributed and their verification status is stated. Where sources give different figures, both are shown.
