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MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has thrown his support behind proposals to restrict social media use for children aged 14 and below amid fears that the internet is being used by drug syndicates to recruit young people and even engage in drug trade through coded communication.
In a statement on Friday, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos said he backs the proposal that would ban children from accessing social media—which was also supported by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, as he stated during the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations budget briefing on the proposed 2027 budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Santos, chairperson of the House committee on dangerous drugs, did not present data or actual incidents, but he claimed that drug syndicates are now using social media to recruit children.
“Our children are among the most vulnerable targets in the digital world. We cannot allow drug syndicates to use social media as a hunting ground to recruit, manipulate and expose young people to illegal drugs,” he said.
