Children below 18 would be barred from using social media and other online services considered high-risk under a bill approved by the Philippine Senate. Companies running these services would have to check users’ ages and close, suspend, or block accounts used by minors.
Senate Bill No. 2424, or the Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (SMART KIDS) Act, passed on third and final reading on Oct. 8. Sixteen senators voted for it, while Sen. Risa Hontiveros voted against it.
Senate President Win Gatchalian said the measure seeks to “protect our children from the dangers posed by social media and other online platforms.”
If the bill becomes law, children would not be allowed to use covered services even with their parents’ permission or supervision. Companies would have to use systems to check whether someone is old enough to use their services.
The proposed ban would not cover every website, app, or online game. It would apply to services classified as high-risk, meaning those considered to pose risks to children.
Email, private messaging, learning platforms, news services, and tools used for work would be exempt. Online games would also be exempt if their main purpose is gaming rather than social networking, or connecting and interacting with other users.
Companies that fail to follow the proposed rules could face fines of ₱5 million to ₱20 million per violation. They could also face an additional ₱100,000 fine each day until they comply, according to Newsbytes.PH.
The proposal comes after earlier reports showed how often children encounter unsafe content and behavior online.
In April 2025, UNICEF Philippines released results from a U-Report poll involving more than 1,200 children. About 86% said they had seen content or experienced behavior online that made them feel unsafe. About 57% said it happened more than once.
About 56% blocked or reported the people involved through the website or app. Only 3% reported incidents to authorities or hotlines, while nearly one in five kept their experiences to themselves. These figures describe the children who answered the poll, rather than all Filipino children.
The House of Representatives has a separate proposal with a lower age limit. House Bill No. 11566 would bar children below 13 from creating or keeping social media accounts. It passed on second reading on Oct. 6.
The Senate bill is not yet law. Children’s accounts do not have to be closed because of its approval. The proposal must still complete the remaining steps before it can take effect.