Child safety debate shifts beyond social media bans

Calls to protect children online are gaining momentum in Congress, but policymakers, educators, and industry stakeholders are increasingly warning that restrictions alone may not be enough to address the risks faced by young internet users.

This emerged during a policy roundtable organized by Arangkada Philippines, the advocacy initiative of the Joint Foreign Chambers, where participants examined proposals seeking to regulate social media access for children under 13 and discussed alternative approaches centered on platform accountability, digital literacy, and parental involvement.

The discussions come as lawmakers consider measures that would impose stricter age verification requirements, parental consent mechanisms, and other safeguards aimed at reducing children’s exposure to harmful online content.

Rather than focusing solely on access restrictions, several participants argued that platforms themselves should play a greater role in protecting young users.

Rep. Bella Vanessa Suansing, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, cautioned that limiting access may simply transfer risks elsewhere.

“If we focus only on restricting access without addressing underlying issues, the problem does not disappear. It can shift to other environments, including schools,” she said.

Rep. Ann Matibag of Laguna echoed the view, saying online safety should be built into digital platforms through stronger reporting systems, improved safeguards against harmful interactions, and greater accountability from technology companies.

University of the Philippines President Angelo Jimenez proposed a graduated system of protections instead of an outright ban for younger users. He said policies should recognize children’s evolving capacities while ensuring adequate safeguards online.

“We believe that child protection and digital participation are not mutually exclusive goals. We can protect children while still recognizing their evolving capacities,” he said.

Jimenez also urged policymakers to exercise caution in adopting biometric age-verification systems, recommending strict privacy protections, limited data collection, and immediate deletion of personal information after verification.

For Arangkada Philippines, the challenge is crafting regulations that protect children without creating unintended consequences for users, businesses, and digital platforms.

“From the AmCham and Arangkada perspective, the wellbeing of children is not in question. We support measures that improve online safety, strengthen digital literacy, empower parents, and encourage responsible platform behavior,” said Steven Winkates, Arangkada Philippines project director.

“Regulation must be carefully designed. Unintended consequences can arise when well-intentioned policies are overly broad, difficult to implement, or misaligned with how digital platforms operate across borders,” he added.

Participants also examined lessons from Australia, which became the first country to prohibit minors under 16 from maintaining accounts on major social media platforms.

Early studies cited during the roundtable showed that while millions of accounts were removed following the implementation of the law, a large number of teenagers continued accessing social media, with some reportedly receiving assistance from parents to bypass restrictions.

Research findings presented during the discussions suggested that nearly three-fourths of Australian teenagers aged 14 to 15 continued using social media despite the ban, highlighting the difficulties of enforcement and compliance.

The findings reinforced the view among participants that legislation should be complemented by broader efforts to improve digital literacy, strengthen parental engagement, and encourage safer online behavior.