Children aged 16 and below may be barred from accessing social media platforms under a proposed measure seeking to curb minors’ exposure to online risks and harmful content.

CIBAC party-list Rep. Eddie Villanueva filed House Bill No. 8262, or the “Social Media Protection for Minors Act,” which seeks to bar minors under 16 from using social media and place responsibility for enforcing the restriction on the platforms themselves.

Under the bill, social media companies would be required to prevent underage access by deploying age-verification technologies, removing accounts suspected to belong to minors, and submitting transparency reports on their compliance.

Villanueva said the measure aims to address risks associated with minors’ exposure to online platforms, including harmful content and exploitation.

“Protecting minors from unfiltered and harmful social media exposure is a moral and national responsibility,” Villanueva said in a statement.

“The unchecked impact of social media on young people — seen in addiction, exposure to sexual and violent content, exploitation and identity confusion — poses long-term dangers not only to individual well-being but also to social cohesion and civic life,” he added.

The bill also emphasizes that digital safety for children should not rely solely on enforcement measures but must involve parents, schools and technology companies.

“This measure avoids simplistic or punitive approaches. Overly strict restrictions may drive minors into less regulated online spaces,” Villanueva said, adding that the proposal should be seen as part of a broader framework that includes digital literacy, school engagement and parental guidance.

The measure covers widely used platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube, among others.

A separate proposal seeking to strengthen social media regulation has also been filed in the House. Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla introduced House Bill No. 7300, or the “Social Media Accountability Act,” which focuses on platform transparency and user protection.

Her bill proposes the creation of a Social Media Accountability Council attached to the Department of Information and Communications Technology to oversee platform compliance.

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