Social media ban on minors seen as difficult to enforce

PROPOSALS to restrict social media use by minors were met with objections about the difficulty of enforcing of such a ban, according to participants at a roundtable organized by the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC).

“Unintended consequences can arise when well-intentioned policies are overly broad, difficult to implement, or misaligned with how digital platforms operate across borders,” Steven Winkates, project director of the JFC’s Arangkada Philippines initiative, said in a statement on Tuesday in connection with the roundtable, which took place last month.

Several bills in the Congress have been filed to regulate minors’ access to social media and digital platforms. The measures propose stricter age verification, parental consent requirements, and safeguards against online abuse, addiction, and mental health risks.

Instead of an outright ban, roundtable participants proposed alternatives based on how platforms are designed that protect minors and safeguard user privacy, according to the statement. 

University of the Philippines President Angelo A. Jimenez said child protection online can be ensured while also allowing minors to participate in the digital space.

He called for a graduated safeguards model that pushes for stronger privacy protections and safeguards consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

For social media platforms, design-based safeguards include limits on biometric age verification, including data minimization, immediate deletion after verification, and a ban on secondary data use, and safety-by-design defaults and youth participation in rulemaking, Mr. Jimenez said. 

Laguna Rep. Maria Rene Ann Lourdes G. Matibag, a trustee of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, said safety should be integrated in platform design in lieu of a blanket social media ban for minors.

These include stronger reporting systems, safer algorithms, protection against harmful interactions, and stronger accountability mechanisms, she said.

A 2020 study by the United Nations Children’s Fund reported that 60% of children aged 10 to 17 are active internet and social media users.

Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil have announced age-based restrictions on children’s social media use.

Arangkada Philippines cited Australia’s ban on individuals under 16 years from using social media platforms like TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Threads.

It noted that studies on the policy indicated that many children still accessed social media platforms despite the ban, with some parents reportedly assisting them in bypassing restrictions. 

“These findings suggest that restrictions alone may be insufficient and that effective online child protection policies must be complemented by digital literacy initiatives, parental engagement, and broader efforts to influence social norms and online behavior,” the group said.

Arangkada Philippines is an advocacy project of the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines, composed of the American, European, Japanese, Korean, and Canadian chambers of commerce, alongside the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz