SENATE President Win Gatchalian is renewing his call to ban social media use among children below 16 years old following the school shooting in Zamboanga City.
Gatchalian raised concern after the shooting was livestreamed and quickly spread across social media, exposing countless users—including young people—to disturbing and graphic footage.
The senator warned that repeatedly viewing and sharing violent content could cause emotional distress and may also risk normalizing violence among children and teenagers.
“We continue to push for a social media ban for minors to protect their safety and welfare,” Gatchalian said.
He stressed that children should not be exposed to online content that could negatively influence them or encourage violent behavior.
Gatchalian’s proposal is contained in Senate Bill No. 2066, or the Social Media Safety for Children Act, which seeks to prohibit social media access for minors below 16.
The bill also requires social media platforms to strengthen safeguards, including age and identity verification systems and measures to prevent users from bypassing age restrictions.
Platforms would likewise be required to establish faster reporting and response mechanisms for cases involving underage users.
Gatchalian said stronger safeguards are needed to protect children from harmful online content and prevent social media from becoming a channel for the spread and normalization of violence.
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