A lawmaker in the Philippines, Senator Loren Legarda, has introduced a new bill that would stop children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. The goal is to protect young people from online bullying, fake news, harmful posts, and the risk of getting addicted to the internet.
The bill is officially known as Senate Bill No. 1955. Under this proposed law, social media companies would have to put systems in place to block minors from opening accounts. The companies themselves would be responsible for enforcing this, not the parents or the schools.
Legarda pointed out that while social media can help people learn and connect, it also has a dark side. She said it can mislead people, overwhelm them, and cause real harm.
Other countries have already started moving in this direction. For example, Australia passed a similar law in 2024 that bans children under 16 from major social platforms.
The senator made sure to address concerns about privacy and free speech. The bill says that any age checks done by platforms must respect user privacy. It also bans companies from asking for a government ID as the only way to prove a user’s age. Instead, they must follow the country’s Data Privacy Act of 2012 and collect the least amount of personal data possible.
Legarda also stressed that freedom of expression is important, but it has to be balanced with the safety of children. She said free speech should always stay within the law and respect the rights of others.
The bill does not just focus on bans. It also asks schools to teach digital citizenship and media literacy. Parents would get better tools to guide what their children see online. On top of that, the government would create a special group led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology to oversee the rules. Other agencies involved would include the Department of Education, the Department of Justice, and the National Privacy Commission, among others.
Source: PNA