The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to push for legislation requiring social media platforms and telecommunication companies to make parental controls a default setting, as part of a broader effort to shield minors — especially those under 16 — from harmful online content and predators.

In an interview, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said their policy team has extensively reviewed and drafted the Safe Child Protection department order, which will be filed in Congress and the Senate. The proposed measure seeks to ensure stronger safeguards for children against inappropriate content and online predators.

“Alam mo bang hindi naka-default ang parental control? Kaya isa sa mga pinag-aralan natin, habang wala pa ang batas, dapat i-default ang parental control sa mga telcos at social media platforms,” he said.

The department has also reached out to Facebook, with the company set to send its international policy team to the country. The secretary said that they will convince the platform to review its community standards in efforts of enforcing the policy.

“Kung gagawin natin iyon, 80 percent, mapoprotektahan ang ating mga anak sa social media, lalo na sa Facebook,” the DICT chief stated.

In line with the drafted order, the department aims to standardize parental control in social media platforms and telecommunication companies to filter the contents and websites children are able to access. Aguda added that they will also reach out to the National Telecommunications Commission to enforce the policy.

He also added that while discussions with telco companies are ongoing, the department will also pilot the parental control feature on public and government-provided Wi-Fi to test its effectiveness.

Further, the secretary stressed the importance of child safety and parental controls, citing the prevalence of online predators who use deepfakes and other tactics to lure children. 

Unlike Australia’s policy, which penalizes platforms if minors gain access, Aguda said the draft legislation will primarily target content providers that produce harmful material.

Moreover, the DICT also plans to block minors from accessing online gambling platforms. He said the agency has already taken down around 8,000 such sites as part of its regulatory efforts. 

Despite these measures, he noted that even Singapore — considered the global leader in technology — has not fully eradicated the problem, as gambling syndicates have become more sophisticated. The widespread use of VPNs further complicates efforts to shut down these platforms.

“Kahit ‘yung pinakadalubhasa, hirap silang i-penetrate ‘yung VPN. Isa po ‘yan sa mga reason na kahit magtanggal na kami ng libu-libo may sumusulpot pa. Kailangan talaga mapalo ‘yang mga ‘yan,” stressing that perpetrators should be punished to set an example and ward them off.

Meanwhile, the DICT secretary applauded the budget increase for the department.