The House of Representatives approved, on third and final reading, the proposed Safe and Friendly Environment for Kids in Digital Spaces (SAFE KIDS) Act (House Bill 11566), seeking to establish a framework for protecting children on social media and online gaming platforms.
By Billy Begas
The House of Representatives approved, on third and final reading, the proposed Safe and Friendly Environment for Kids in Digital Spaces (SAFE KIDS) Act (House Bill 11566), seeking to establish a framework for protecting children on social media and online gaming platforms.
Voting 287-3 with no abstentions, the House approved HB 11566 during the plenary session on Monday.
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, co-sponsor of the SAFE KIDS measure and chairperson of the technical working group that crafted it, said the measure has always prioritized the best interests of children and the need to protect them from risks posed by technology.
While children have the right to benefit from technology, Romulo said they may not yet be equipped to safely navigate the serious and harmful effects of digital platforms, including cyberbullying, grooming, sexual exploitation, harmful content, and various forms of online interaction.
“The concern, therefore, is not whether children should have a place in the digital world. They already do,” said Romulo. “The question before us is whether the digital environment in which they grow up provides adequate safeguards for their safety, development, and well-being.”
Under the bill, children below 13 years of age shall be prohibited from creating, registering, maintaining, or using social media accounts, while those aged 13 to below 18 years shall be given restricted access where certain harmful features, including unsafe communications and features that may encourage excessive or compulsive use, shall be prohibited.
The measure also establishes a SAFE KIDS Office under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which shall be primarily responsible for its effective implementation. The bill also provides for penalties for non-compliance by the digital platforms.
“The policy question is therefore not simply one of access versus prohibition. It is a question of how access should be structured, what safeguards must accompany it, and who should be accountable when those safeguards are absent,” Romulo said.
“Technology will continue to evolve. The challenge before us is to ensure that the rights and welfare of children remain central as they navigate an increasingly connected world,” the solon added.
