Philippines Lawmaker Seeks Stronger Child Protection from Social Media Harms

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III is pushing for stronger measures to protect Filipino children from the growing dangers of social media, ensuring it allows their healthy development without exposing them to harm, according to a statement his office issued on Monday. So, together with Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, Dy filed House Bill No. 9965, or the proposed Children’s Social Media Safety Act, which would establish the country’s first comprehensive framework regulating children’s access to and use of social media platforms. “We can see that social media plays a big part in everyday life, which makes our responsibility bigger to make sure that our children are safe using this. If we allow Filipino children to explore the online world, they should be given sufficient protection,” Dy said in a mix of Filipino and English. READ: Gatchalian to push social media curbs for minors According to him, the bill recognizes that digital platforms, while offering opportunities for learning and communication, expose children to cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation, addiction, anxiety, sleep disruption, and other risks that existing laws do not adequately address. “If we have laws that protect children in school, in the streets, and in our communities, we should also have clear protection for them while they’re using social media,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to make sure that technology will be for the benefit of children, not a source of risks while they’re growing up.” The bill adopts an age-based framework for children’s use of social media: The bill will also require social media companies to do the following: READ: US also lags in social media restrictions; reforms sought Dy explained that the proposal is not meant to keep children away from technology, but to encourage healthier and safer digital engagement. “We are not denying the youth of technology. It’s a big help in studying, communication, and learning. Our goal is to make sure that its use will be appropriate for their age and that they have enough guidance from their parent,” Dy said. “While the digital world is expanding, we also need to strengthen the safeguards for our children,” he added. To promote responsible digital citizenship, the bill directs the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), in coordination with the Department of Education, to integrate digital literacy and ethical social media use into the K to 12 curriculum. It also provides for training programs for teachers and awareness campaigns for parents and children. The proposal also requires local government units to establish device-free community spaces and organize sports, arts, and civic activities that encourage children to spend more time engaging with their communities rather than relying excessively on social media. Under the measure, the DICT will be authorized to monitor compliance, issue cease-and-desist orders, and coordinate enforcement with the National Telecommunications Commission and the National Privacy Commission. Social media platforms that repeatedly violate the law could face fines ranging from P5 million to P50 million and, in cases of repeated and serious violations, temporary restriction of access or prohibition from operating in the Philippines, subject to due process. “Given the reach of social media and the internet, protecting children can no longer rest solely on the shoulders of parents,” Dy said. “It’s also the duty of the government to make sure that social media platforms are responsible for making a safe digital environment for children. In a time of quick technological development, the well-being of each Filipino should be the foremost standard of our policies,” he added. /atm