Philippine senator pushes social media ban for minors

Philippine Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian renewed his call to ban children aged 16 and below from using social media, citing the need for stronger safeguards against harmful online content after a deadly school shooting in Tacloban City on June 22. The shooting at San Jose National High School left three students dead and 20 others injured, with authorities revealing that one suspect had played the violent online game Gorebox before the attack. Gatchalian emphasized that children are not inherently violent but are influenced by online content, making it a priority for Congress to address these factors. His proposed Social Media Safety for Children Act (Senate Bill No. 2066) aims to regulate social media platforms to protect minors.

The bill requires social media platforms to implement reliable age and identity verification systems, regularly deactivate underage accounts, provide parental controls and content-filtering tools, and redesign features that encourage compulsive use, such as autoplay and addictive notifications. Violators could face fines and suspension or revocation of their operating authority. Gatchalian stressed that opening social media accounts should not be easy, calling for facial recognition or age verification. He also urged cybercrime authorities to act faster in blocking underage accounts.

Two leading medical organizations in the Philippines have warned against unsupervised social media use by children. The Philippine Pediatric Society does not recommend social media for children aged 16 and below, and if access is allowed, accounts should be co-managed by parents with active supervision. The Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics reported treating young patients with anxiety, emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbances, and behavioral problems linked to unregulated social media use. These medical warnings reinforce the need for legislative action.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed education, health, and law enforcement agencies to strengthen measures protecting students, citing the Tacloban shooting and other violent incidents involving minors. He emphasized that schools should be safe places for learning and growth. Separately, Senator Erwin Tulfo announced a total review of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, focusing on the shortage of rehabilitation facilities, parental accountability, and the minimum age of criminal responsibility, currently set at 15.

Malacañang has expressed openness to lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12, as recommended by the Philippine National Police. However, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council opposes this, noting that 94% of children aged 12 to 15 who undergo rehabilitation are successfully reintegrated into society. The council also reported a 77% decline in children in conflict with the law from 2016 to 2025. The debate continues as lawmakers balance public safety concerns with the welfare of minors.