Philippines weighs social media ban for minors as school violence, online extremism fuel alarm
But experts warn that blanket bans could backfire, arguing that stronger platform safeguards, counselling and parental involvement may be more effective.
Philippine lawmakers are considering restricting or banning social media use for individuals under 13 or 16, in response to a surge in school violence linked to exposure to harmful online content. Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara suggested that young people's interaction with damaging social media sites, negative influences, and grooming by extremist groups could contribute to the violence.
The proposed measures would require online platforms to implement age and identity verification systems, deactivate non-compliant accounts, and face penalties up to 50 million Philippine pesos if they fail to comply. Experts, however, argue that blanket bans could backfire, as restricting minors from mainstream platforms may push them towards harder-to-monitor obscure websites and communities.
Instead, cybersecurity and mental health professionals recommend strengthening platform safeguards, providing counseling, and enhancing parental involvement in monitoring children's online activities.
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