A proposal seeking to enforce a complete ban on social media use for children under 13 years old has cleared a crucial legislative hurdle after passing the House Committee on Welfare of Children.
The substitute measure, presented during committee deliberations by Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo, establishes a total prohibition on social media platforms for pre-teens while outlining strict limitations for older minors aged 13 to 18.
Romulo, who chairs the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture and led the technical working group (TWG) that drafted the substitute bill, emphasized that the blanket ban for children under 13 is designed to eliminate non-essential screen time.
“Basically, the bill now will be a ban for all social media platforms for those under 13, and the reason for them is what we want is for them not to have screen time,” Romulo explained, highlighting the intent to protect young children from harmful digital exposure and excessive screen use.
For teenagers aged 13 to 18, the proposed legislation introduces specific restrictions rather than a complete ban. The measure restricts access to short-form video feeds, commonly known as “shorts” or “reels,” as well as messaging applications, group chats and exposure to harmful online content.
The House initiative sets up a distinct divergence from the version currently being tackled in the upper chamber. Senate Bill No. 2424 or the proposed Child Online Safety and Protection Act, recommends setting the minimum age for social media account creation higher, at 16 years old.
To ensure compliance, the House substitute bill mandates that foreign social media platforms must register a formal business presence in the Philippines to operate legally within the country. Lawmakers noted that local registration is essential to holding tech companies accountable under Philippine laws and enforcing penalties for non-compliance.