Digital advocacy group Digital Pinoys has urged lawmakers to reject a blanket social media ban for children, calling instead for stronger platform safeguards and age-appropriate rules to address online risks.
In a statement on Tuesday, national campaigner Ronald B. Gustilo said the bicameral conference committee should establish protections against grooming, exploitation and harmful content without limiting children’s digital participation.
“Child protection should not be reduced to keeping children away from social media. We need to protect them from grooming, exploitation, harmful content and other online threats while ensuring they develop the digital literacy and critical thinking skills they will need as they grow older,” Mr. Gustilo said.
The House of Representatives on Monday approved its version of the measure, which would bar children below 13 from accessing social media. Its counterpart measure proposes prohibiting those below 18 from maintaining social media accounts.
Mr. Gustilo said lawmakers should adopt age-tiered safety requirements that recognize differences in children’s maturity and digital needs.
He called for mandatory platform safeguards, including age-appropriate content and contact restrictions, stronger privacy protections, reporting mechanisms, screen-time controls, and accountability for platforms that fail to protect young users.
“The question is not simply whether children should be allowed or prohibited from using social media. The question is how we make their participation safer. A blanket ban may restrict access, but it does not automatically address the mechanisms that expose children to harm,” he said.
He urged lawmakers to prioritize children’s welfare and hold platforms accountable rather than simply disconnecting young users. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking