MANILA, Philippines — A House of Representatives panel has approved a substitute bill that would ban children under 13 from using social media and restrict certain features for users aged 13 to 18 to protect minors from harmful online content.
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo presented the measure during a hearing of the House committee on welfare of children. The technical working group he leads drafted the bill as a substitute for 10 proposals seeking greater protection for minors online.
The measure would prohibit children under 13 from accessing social media platforms. Romulo said the proposal also aims to prevent children in that age group from having screen time.
For users aged 13 to below 18, the bill would restrict access to harmful content involving violence, sexual material and similar topics. It would also prohibit short-form video features and chat groups.
Romulo said the House version differs from Senate Bill No. 2424, or the proposed Child Online Safety and Protection Act, which sets 16 as the minimum age for social media use.
The Senate measure reached the plenary on Aug. 26 after the Senate committee on public information and mass media approved it.
Romulo said lawmakers could reconcile the differences through a bicameral conference committee if both chambers approve their respective measures.
The House substitute bill would also require social media platforms accessible in the Philippines to establish and register a local presence, allowing Philippine authorities to exercise jurisdiction over the companies.
The technical working group did not include provisions that would limit social media screen time for adolescents. Romulo said lawmakers should debate parental consent and possible time limits during plenary deliberations.
The proposed restrictions follow concerns over young people’s exposure to violent online content amid investigations into recent school shootings in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City.
A shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban on June 22 killed three students. Another shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University on Aug. 18 killed two people, including the gunman.
Authorities have examined possible exposure to violent online content and participation in groups linked to nihilistic violent extremist behavior as part of their investigations.
Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Aug. 28 that Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram and Threads, had committed to providing authorities with information about potential threats to children.
The administration has also said it sees no immediate need to ban Facebook after the company expressed willingness to respond to government requests involving fake news and violent content.
Officials have left open the possibility of restricting other social media platforms and online gaming applications if companies fail to address content that could contribute to violence among young people or spread misinformation and disinformation.