Philippine Lawmakers Push for Stricter Safeguards for Children on Social Media

LAWMAKERS in both the Senate and House of Representatives are pushing tighter safeguards for children on social media (socmed) following recent school violence involving minors, with proposals ranging from a congressional inquiry into the platforms’ effects on youth to stricter age restrictions and parental oversight. Senator Vicente C. Sotto III on Tuesday 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, which would impose stricter rules on minors’ access to social media. Mr. Sotto said the Senate inquiry aims to examine the effects of excessive screen time and harmful online content on children’s mental health and development. “The resolution’s goal is to strike the proper balance between children’s access to technology and information and the state’s constitutional duty to protect their welfare and development,” he said in a statement. The resolution recognizes social media’s role in learning, communication, creativity and access to information, but also cites risks such as online sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, violent and pornographic content, hate speech and misinformation. Mr. Sotto said recent incidents involving minors have raised questions about whether existing laws adequately protect children from harmful online content. He noted that several countries, including Australia, have adopted stricter controls on minors’ access to social media. The resolution was filed a day before the Senate Committee on Women and Children was scheduled to investigate the June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City, where police said the two minor suspects communicated through an online messaging platform. Authorities have also linked one of the suspects to the violent video game GoreBox. Separately, Mr. Dy said the proposed House measure seeks to shield children from cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation, addiction, anxiety and other online risks. “We see that social media is a big part of everyday life, so our responsibility is also greater to ensure that our children are safe while using it,” he said in Filipino. “If we allow Filipino children to explore the online world, they should be given sufficient protections.” 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. The measure also requires social media companies 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. Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri earlier renewed his call for the passage of the proposed Social Media Safety for Children Act, which seeks to prohibit children below 16 from using social media. “Whether a child is bullied or not, violent content, online threats, dangerous trends and hateful behavior can plant ideas in young minds and give them the confidence to act on things they should never even consider,” Mr. Zubiri said in a June 23 statement. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel and Pexcel John Bacon