SOCMED BAN. Pangasinan Rep. Maria Rachel J. Arenas speaks during a gathering in Pasay City on Feb. 20, 2025. Arenas said on Friday (July 24, 2026) that she has filed a bill seeking to prohibit ban access to social media by children 12 years old and below to protect them from risks. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
DAGUPAN CITY – Pangasinan lawmaker Maria Rachel Arenas is seeking a ban on unsupervised social media use for children aged 12 and below, citing the need to shield minors from digital threats.
The measure is outlined in House Bill 9971, which seeks to protect minors below 13 from online risks, establish a tiered safety framework for adolescents, and impose strict requirements on social media companies.
Arenas, who is also a House Deputy Speaker, filed the bill on June 30.
“This proposed legislation recognizes that while technology offers many opportunities, excessive and unregulated social media use can negatively affect children’s learning, attention span, reading habits, mental health, and overall development,” she said in a statement sent to the Philippine News Agency on Friday.
