SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a measure seeking to prohibit children below 16 years old from registering, accessing, or maintaining accounts on any social media platform.

Gatchalian made the push as he introduced the proposed Social Media Safety for Children Act, or Senate Bill No. 2066.

“Panahon na upang protektahan ang ating mga kabataan mula sa pinsalang dulot ng social media. Huwag na nating hintaying lumala ang problema bago tayo umaksyon,” he said.

The proposed measure follows similar policies adopted in other countries. Australia became the first to impose such restrictions through the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which will take effect in December 2025. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia has also moved to restrict social media access for children under 16.

Under Senate Bill No. 2066, social media platform providers would be required to implement age and identity verification systems, conduct regular audits to deactivate accounts of underage users, and establish reporting and response mechanisms to address violations.

The proposed law also mandates the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, National Telecommunications Commission, National Privacy Commission, and other stakeholders, to craft the implementing rules and regulations within 90 days after the law takes effect.