Philippine lawmakers back social media restrictions for children
The lower house approved restrictions for children aged 13 and under. Lawmakers must reconcile the bill with the Senate version before sending it to the president.
The Philippines’ lower house has voted by a majority to approve a bill barring children aged 13 and under from social media, following Senate approval of similar legislation. Reuters reported the move on 13 October 2026, as cited by CNBC Indonesia.
The two chambers will next reconcile their versions before submitting the bill to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Marcos said he had examined the Senate-approved proposal, which initially sought to prevent children under 18 from opening social media accounts.
The president warned that a complete ban could lead children to conceal their online activity, leaving them more vulnerable to grooming and online sexual abuse. Three school shootings since June prompted the legislative push and widened debate over children’s access to social media and online content. Such gun violence in Philippine schools is rare.
Indonesia has imposed restrictions on children’s social media access since March, including deactivating accounts belonging to users under 16 on platforms deemed high-risk.
