Philippines weighs social media ban for minors, but will it be enough?

Analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to fix the algorithms that expose young users to harmful content

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Teenagers play games on their smartphones at a convenience store in the Philippines. Lawmakers have called for curbs on minors’ social media access. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:00pm, 2 Apr 2026

The Philippines is the latest country to consider banning minors from social media, joining a regional wave led by Australia and Indonesia, but technology analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to address the platform design flaws that expose young users to harm.

Philippine Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday called for legislation to limit minors’ access to social media platforms, days after Indonesia began enforcing a ban on under-16s using “high-risk” platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube on March 28.

The push comes as the Philippines grapples with the consequences of being one of the world’s most social-media-saturated nations – nearly 82 per cent of its population was active on social media as of late 2025, according to research firm DataReportal.

“Let us not wait for the problem to worsen before we act,” Gatchalian said in a statement, noting that Australia – the first country to outlaw social media for under-16s – saw its ban take full effect in December 2025.

Gatchalian also cited the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment, which found that every one-hour increase in leisure use of digital devices resulted in a four-point decrease in maths scores among 15-year-old students.

He is not the only lawmaker pushing for action.

Philippines weighs social media ban for minors, but will it be enough?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to fix the algorithms that expose young users to harmful content

Analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to fix the algorithms that expose young users to harmful content