Philippine lower house approves bill restricting minors' social media access
META•The Philippine lower house approved a bill banning children under 13 from accessing social media platforms. A separate Senate bill would bar anyone under 18 from creating accounts; the chambers must reconcile the measures before presidential approval.
1. Lower house approves measure
The Philippine House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill restricting social media access for children under 13, following the Senate’s endorsement of a separate measure. The two chambers must reconcile their bills and submit a final draft for presidential approval.
2. Debate over child safety
The legislation’s progress follows three school shootings since June that reignited debate over children’s access to social media and online content. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was studying the Senate bill and cautioned that a blanket ban could lead children to hide their online activities, leaving them vulnerable to grooming and abuse.
3. Regional restrictions
The article describes similar measures in Malaysia and Indonesia. It says TikTok deactivated around 9 million accounts belonging to children under 16 in Indonesia, while Meta blocked 85,000 Instagram accounts and 99,000 Facebook accounts.
