The Senate has approved the proposed SMART KIDS Act, which seeks to ban minors under 18 from accessing high-risk digital services, including platforms such as Roblox and GoreBox.
The measure requires covered platforms to suspend, restrict, disable, or remove accounts used by minors, while exempting services such as email, private messaging, education, news, and certain online games.
Violating platforms may face fines of P5 million to P20 million per violation, plus P100,000 daily for continued non-compliance, while parents or guardians who help minors evade the ban may also face penalties.
The bill received 16 affirmative votes, with Sen. Risa Hontiveros as the sole senator to oppose it, arguing that a blanket ban overlooks children’s developing abilities and the benefits of social media.
Hontiveros instead proposed tiered restrictions and stronger privacy protections, while Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said stricter limits were needed to protect minors from online dangers.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 9, 2026
BILL RESTRICTING SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY MINORS GAINS SENATE APPROVAL
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