The Philippines has long been considering a social media ban for minors. But after the Zamboanga shooting incident, which was livestreamed by the shooter and left two dead, the call for an age-based restriction in digital spaces further intensified.
This restriction includes access to social media, violent online games, and content for children below 16 years. The renewed push also comes as other countries experiment with similar restrictions, like Australia’s implementation in December 2025, and New Zealand and Spain’s pending bills. So, what exactly are the Philippine lawmakers’ plans and how will they be implemented?
How Lawmakers Propose to Protect Children Online
Senate President Win Gatchalian has been among the most vocal proponents of this age-based restriction, having filed Senate Bill No. 2066, or the Social Media Safety for Children Act, back in April.
“Dapat pag-aralan nang masusi ay ‘yung impluwensiya ng social media, ng internet, at impluwensiya na rin ng mga tinatawag natin na violent games,” explained Gatchalian in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo. “’Yung mga violent games, nakaka-adik eh. Ang nakakatakot dito, hindi natin alam kung sino ‘yung kanilang kalaro,” he added.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros proposed a similar bill, though her Senate Bill No. 1819 takes a different approach. The Expanded Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act strengthens protections against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, which remains pending in the committee. Her bill goes beyond mere social media use, but also points to the abuse children may face in digital spaces.
In the aftermath of the Tacloban school shooting incident in June, then-Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri called for a “serious discussion” on limiting children’s social media access. On August 19, he posted on X that the “times have changed and our laws must catch up,” expressing his support for the ban after it was once again reignited. Sen. Robin Padilla likewise argued that children are vulnerable to online radicalization and manipulation and called for urgent action following the August 18 shooting.
Kapag ang isang bata ay kayang manood, maglaro at makakita ng violence for hours every day, we cannot pretend walang epekto iyon.
— Migz Zubiri (@migzzubiri) August 19, 2026
The times have changed, and our laws must catch up.
I support a serious social media ban for children.#ProtectOurKids#SenadoPH
Sen. Bam Aquino, meanwhile, pushed for the enforcement of age restrictions on online video games and banning minors from chat boxes. According to him, while such games cannot be entirely blamed, putting in place a classification system similar to movies and television shows would better limit children from accessing mature-rated games.
All these calls were backed up by Vice President Sara Duterte on August 19, stating that she supports the legislation’s plan to fast-track efforts to implement the social media ban on minors. However, her position puts much of the responsibility on specific platforms, as she said it would be difficult to police millions of Filipino children individually.
“You have to remember we have about 25 to 29 million students in schools so dapat kung pag-usapan natin o ipasa atin ang batas ipagbawal ang minors sa social media, ang regulation ng government ay doon sa platform,” she said in an interview in Zamboanga.
The challenge now for the legislation is figuring out where online protection ends and an outright ban begins, and whether keeping children offline can address the much bigger question of why young people are becoming exposed to violence in the first place.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Several proposed bills plan to tackle access to social media, violent online games, and content for children below 16 years.
Other countries experiment with similar restrictions, like Australia’s implementation in December 2025, and France and New Zealand’s pending bills.
A shooting incident occurred inside a junior high school building, which was livestreamed by the shooter, and left two dead, including the perpetrator.
Sen. Bam Aquino pushes for the enforcement of age restrictions on online video games and banning minors from chat boxes. He also suggested that putting in place a classification system similar to movies and television shows would better limit children from accessing mature-rated games.
She supports the legislation, but also wants to put the responsibility on specific social media platforms, as she said it would be difficult to police millions of Filipino children individually.
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