Philippine lower house approves bill restricting minors’ social media access

The Philippine House of Representatives has approved a bill restricting minors' access to social media platforms, following the Senate's endorsement of a similar measure. The legislation aims to limit children under 13 from using social media, with the two chambers now required to reconcile their bills before submitting a final draft for presidential approval.

This development comes in the wake of three school shootings since June in the Philippines, reigniting discussions about children's access to social media and online content. The bill's passage has been met with mixed reactions, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr expressing concerns about a blanket ban potentially enabling children to hide their online activities and become vulnerable to grooming and abuse.

While social media giants such as TikTok, YouTube, and Meta Platforms have not yet commented on the bill, neighboring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia have already implemented stricter measures to regulate social media use by minors. Malaysia began barring under-16s from registering accounts in June, with a deadline of January 2027 to implement the measure, while Indonesia issued a regulation in March requiring social media firms to deactivate accounts belonging to children under 16.