Manila (AsiaNews) – On Wednesday, the Philippine Senate approved a bill banning minors under the age of 18 from having social media accounts.
The Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (SMART KIDS) Act mandates the deactivation or suspension of minors' accounts and prohibits them from creating new ones.
The legislation was prompted by three deadly school shootings that occurred between June and September 2026.
Under the new law, children and young people will not be able to register, access, use, maintain, manage, or create an account on any social media platform.
International social media platforms operating in the Philippines will be required to designate a local representative and comply with Philippine authorities as part of the law's implementation.
Fines ranging from 5 million pesos (US$ 80,000) to 20 million pesos (US$ 320,000) per violation may be imposed on any high-risk digital service (such as Meta Platforms, Roblox, and Gorebox) that violates the proposed law.
Parents and guardians who fail to comply with the new law may face fines ranging from 5,000 pesos (US$ 80) to 50,000 pesos (US$ 800) or be required to perform community service.
The Philippine House of Representatives has also previously approved a similar bill, though with minor differences that will need to be reconciled before the legislation takes effect.
Advocating for the bill, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian stated that the measure comes at a time of growing concern regarding the safety of children and young people in digital spaces, as the public has repeatedly voiced alarm over alleged cases of online grooming linked to violence.
Following the Senate's approval, Senator Robinhood Padilla, the bill’s author, described it as a significant step towards protecting young people from the physical, mental, social, and emotional harm associated with social media platforms.
According to Senator Joel Villanueva, digital platforms bear specific responsibilities, given that such behaviours generate profits for them.
Risa Hontiveros, the only senator to vote against the bill, called for graduated restrictions for adolescents rather than a blanket ban for minors.
What is truly needed, she argues, are stronger privacy and data settings, stricter limits on contact with adults, curbs on targeted advertising and profiling, and more robust safety measures for parents and educators.
Teenagers, she noted, must be well protected from abuse, exploitation, and harmful content as they learn to navigate the digital world safely.
The Philippine Church has also repeatedly spoken out on the need for responsible use of digital and social media, particularly among children and adolescents.
Philippine bishops have issued stern warnings regarding the safety of minors in digital spaces, reminding parents, elders, and teachers of their responsibility for monitoring children's internet access.
Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon, chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Social Communications of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), reiterated the need for everyone to deal with digital advancements safely.
According to the prelate, everyone needs to use technologies in a responsible, effective, safe, and meaningful way.
