SENATOR Robinhood Padilla has sponsored a measure seeking to set 16 as the minimum age for creating social media accounts, saying stronger safeguards are needed to protect Filipino children from online abuse and harmful digital content.

Padilla presented Senate Bill No. 2424, or the proposed Child Online Safety and Protection Act, which seeks to regulate minors’ access to social media and other digital platforms.

Padilla acknowledged the important role of technology in education, business, and freedom of expression but warned that the internet has also become a space where young people face growing risks.

“For many of our youth, the internet is no longer just a source of knowledge and opportunity—it has also become a place where they can be exposed to deception, abuse, and other threats to their safety,” he said.

Under the proposed measure, social media companies would be required to implement privacy-safe age verification and establish a local office or legal representative in the Philippines to ensure compliance with the law.

Padilla emphasized that the bill is not intended to deny children access to technology but to reduce their exposure to platforms that may pose risks to their safety and development.

“The Child Online Safety and Protection Act is for a safer and more responsible digital future for our youth,” he said, adding that the measure seeks to regulate online risks while minimizing potential harm to minors.