Save the Children backs PNP child safety drive, opposes blanket social media ban

Save the Children has welcomed the Philippine National Police's efforts to protect children from online harm but said it does not support a blanket ban on social media for minors.

In a statement Wednesday, the child rights organization said it supports initiatives that keep children safe both online and offline but cautioned against adopting broad restrictions similar to measures introduced in countries such as Australia, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom.

"Children have the right to protection, but they also have the right to information, freedom of expression, and play," the organization said.

"Blanket bans are not a sustainable solution because they place the burden of online safety primarily on children while overlooking the responsibilities of governments, digital platforms, parents, and other adults to create safer online environments," it added.

The group noted that Australia's implementation of its under-16 social media ban has encountered challenges, including technical limitations in enforcement, privacy concerns over age verification, and the risk of children migrating to less regulated online platforms.

Save the Children said it is participating in the House of Representatives Committee on the Welfare of Children's Technical Working Group alongside other civil society organizations to help develop more balanced online safety measures.

Among the proposals being discussed are stronger age assurance and verification systems, age-appropriate platform design and content, greater accountability for digital platforms, and improved parental controls to better protect children online.

The statement came after the PNP said it was studying the possibility of restricting social media use among minors as part of broader efforts to shield children from harmful online content.