PH Senate passes bill banning social media for minors on second reading

The Senate has approved on second reading a measure that seeks to prohibit individuals under 18 years old from creating or accessing social media accounts.

Senate Bill No. 2424, or the “Child Online Safety and Protection Act,” sponsored by Senator Robinhood Padilla, passed late Wednesday evening. The legislation aims to protect children from physical, mental, and social risks tied to online social media platforms.

Under the bill, covered social media platforms must implement age-verification systems capable of blocking minors under 18. Platforms will also be required to provide parental control tools. International social media companies operating in the country must appoint a Philippine representative to coordinate enforcement with local authorities.

SB 2424 defines age-restricted social media platforms as electronic services primarily designed for online social interaction and content sharing. Exempted from the restrictions are:

• Email and private messaging services

  
  

• Educational platforms and news services

  
  

• Professional collaboration tools

  
  

• Online games not primarily intended for social networking

DICT Enforcement and Heavy Penalties

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will lead implementation by monitoring compliance, investigating violations, establishing reporting channels, and setting age-assurance standards. Failure by the DICT to enforce these duties carries administrative fines between ₱5 million and ₱20 million per violation.

Digital service providers face severe sanctions for noncompliance, including fines ranging from ₱5 million to ₱20 million per violation, plus an additional ₱100,000 for each day of continued noncompliance. Persistent non-compliant platforms may also face operational restrictions or bans within the Philippines.

While platforms carry the technical burden, the bill assigns primary responsibility to parents. Parents who knowingly help their children bypass the age limit face fines up to ₱50,000, community service, or mandatory digital parenting programs.

Next Steps

The measure requires final approval on third reading before proceeding to a bicameral conference committee to reconcile differences with the House version. The House version proposes a stricter total ban for children under 13, alongside restricted access for users aged 13 to 18.