Philippines mulls social media ban for under 16

MANILA — The Philippines is moving to restrict social media access for children under 16 as lawmakers push tougher online safeguards following a series of violent incidents that officials suspect were linked to social media content.

Senate Bill No. 2424, or the proposed Child Online Safety and Protection Act, would set 16 as the minimum age for social media use and require platforms to take stronger measures to protect minors from online abuse, exploitation and other digital risks.

The bill was sponsored in plenary on Wednesday, as concern grows over harmful content involving children and the use of social media to spread violent or dangerous material.

The legislative push comes as US technology giant Meta Platforms Inc., which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has pledged closer cooperation with the Philippine government to combat harmful online content, including AI-generated deepfakes.

On Thursday, a Philippine delegation met with Meta officials responsible for Asia-Pacific policy in Singapore to discuss the company’s commitments following recent violent incidents that authorities believe may have been influenced or amplified by social media content.

The delegation included Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag, Laguna Rep. Ann Matibag, chair of the House committee on women, and representatives from the office of Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

“We were able to convince Meta to commit to providing our authorities with subscriber information and traffic data once they identify a threat to the safety of our children, even before an actual attack takes place,” Hontiveros said in a video message on Friday.

Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, said Meta’s commitments could strengthen momentum behind SB 2424.

The proposed law would require social media companies to introduce stronger safeguards for minors and could make platforms more accountable for harmful content.

Meta pledges faster action

Aguda told the Inquirer that Meta had agreed to establish a “technical working group” with Philippine authorities to improve coordination, shorten response times and strengthen action against harmful content.

The company also agreed to designate a dedicated point of contact for Philippine authorities and share relevant information when necessary and permitted under the law.

Meta further pledged to cooperate with Philippine investigations, particularly cases involving an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury to children.

A Meta team is expected to visit Manila in mid-September to formalise the framework and commitments.

The agreement follows growing scrutiny of social media platforms after videos and other harmful material involving minors appeared online in connection with recent violent incidents.

Deepfakes

Authorities have also raised concerns about AI-generated deepfakes, which can be used to impersonate individuals, spread false information or cause serious reputational and personal harm.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center said discussions with Meta produced a stronger mechanism for dealing with deepfakes, potentially allowing people targeted by harmful AI-generated material to seek protection and have the content identified and removed.

The Philippine government has increasingly faced pressure to hold social media companies accountable for harmful content while ensuring faster cooperation with law enforcement.

Senate Bill 2424

For lawmakers behind SB 2424, the proposed age limit represents a broader shift from reacting to harmful content after it appears online to preventing children from being exposed to some of the risks in the first place.

The bill's progress could determine how far the Philippines goes in regulating social media use among minors — and how much responsibility platforms such as Meta will bear for protecting young users.

SB 2424, if passed, would put the Philippines among a growing group of governments attempting to shift responsibility for children's online safety from families and children towards the social-media platforms themselves.

Australia is currently the clearest precedent for the Philippines, with a nationwide under-16 social-media age restriction already in force and fines of up to A$54.6 million (₱2.44 billion) targeting platforms rather than children. In June, the UAE banned social media for children under the age of 15. New Zealand is pursuing a similar model, alongside France, Malaysia and Indonesia.

In the US, Meta Platforms agreed to a landmark $18-billion settlement with US states earlier this week to restrict teen usage on Facebook and Instagram.

The US settlement includes several mandatory changes, including a “curfew” to block minors from accessing Instagram and Facebook between midnight and 6am; usage limits, with a "hard limit" of 2 hours per day for users under 18; and age verification – which strengthens measures to keep children under 13 off the platforms.