A measure seeking to establish a safer online environment for Filipino children by restricting the creation and maintenance of social media accounts for individuals below 16 years old has been filed in the House of Representatives.
Under House Bill 9825, or the “Digital Safety of Minors Act,” Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David “Jay-Jay” C. Suarez said social media platforms must be required to implement reasonable and proportionate, privacy-preserving age-assurance mechanisms at the point of account creation and periodically thereafter.
The proposed measure also mandates safety-by-default settings for users aged 16 to 17, prohibits behavioral and targeted advertising directed at users below 18 unless explicit consent is given, and allows limited exceptions only when verifiable parental or guardian consent is obtained under strict safeguards.
“We are not banning technology or restricting children’s rights to learn and express themselves. We are simply making sure that digital spaces are designed with children’s developmental needs and safety in mind,” the Deputy Speaker said.
The bill explicitly protects minors’ access to news websites, educational platforms, government services, and other beneficial online resources, while prohibiting any interpretation that would authorize censorship or unjustified surveillance of children.
It further states that platforms profiting from children’s attention must take greater responsibility through age assurance systems, safety-by-default configurations, and stronger privacy protections.
The proposed legislation draws from similar policies in Australia and Malaysia and is anchored on the Philippine Constitution and the country’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It also directs the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Information and Communications Technology to implement nationwide digital literacy and online safety programs.
Violations of the measure may result in substantial fines of up to ₱100 million, temporary suspension, or permanent revocation of a platform’s authority to operate in the Philippines.