A network of digital advocates is urging the bicameral conference committee to put genuine child welfare at the forefront of deliberations on the proposed social media regulation measure, warning that protecting children online should not come at the expense of their digital participation and development.
Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo said that the reconciliation of the Senate and House versions presents an opportunity to move beyond blanket prohibitions and adopt a framework that addresses the actual risks children face online while preparing them to navigate the digital environment safely and responsibly.
“Child protection should not be reduced to keeping children away from social media. We need to protect them from grooming, exploitation, harmful content and other online threats while ensuring they develop the digital literacy and critical thinking skills they will need as they grow older.”
Gustilo emphasized that children of different ages have different levels of maturity and digital needs, and that legislation should recognize these differences through age-tiered safety requirements rather than treating all minors the same.
Gustilo called for mandatory platform safeguards, including age-appropriate content and contact restrictions, stronger privacy protections, effective reporting mechanisms, screen-time controls and meaningful accountability for platforms that fail to protect young users.
“The question is not simply whether children should be allowed or prohibited from using social media. The question is how we make their participation safer. A blanket ban may restrict access, but it does not automatically address the mechanisms that expose children to harm.”
Gustilo urged the conferees to put children’s actual welfare, not deprivation as a substitute for protection, at the center of the final measure.
“Children deserve protection, but they also deserve opportunities to learn, develop and participate in an increasingly digital society. We should regulate the risks, strengthen safeguards and hold platforms accountable. Our objective must be to protect children, not simply disconnect them.”