Gatchalian revives call to ban social media for teens 16 and below
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has renewed his push to prohibit social media use for minors aged 16 and under, citing studies on negative impacts on academic performance and drawing parallels to similar restrictions implemented in Indonesia.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian renewed his call on March 30, 2026, to ban social media for minors aged 16 and below in the Philippines, announcing plans to file corresponding legislation. The proposal follows Indonesia's implementation of restrictions on high-risk platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Roblox for children under 16, making Indonesia the first Southeast Asian country to enforce such measures. Gatchalian cited international precedents including Australia's worldwide-first ban on minors under 16 (effective December 2025), as well as measures in Denmark and Norway.
The senator's advocacy is grounded in concerns about negative impacts on minors' decision-making, behavior, mental health, and academic performance. Research from the Program International Student shows that for every additional hour 15-year-old Filipino students use digital devices for entertainment, their math scores decline by four points. Gatchalian also referenced a June 2025 report from NGO KidsRights finding that one in seven young people aged 10 to 19 face mental health challenges, with suicide rates for those aged 15-19 at six per 100,000.
Gatchalian's call coincided with a Los Angeles jury holding YouTube and Meta liable for childhood social media addiction, strengthening the case for regulatory action. The senator emphasized the need for swift action, stating "Huwag na nating hintayang lumala ang problemang ito ng mga kabataan bago tayo kumilos" (Let's not wait for this youth problem to worsen before we act).
This proposal builds on Gatchalian's previous efforts to regulate technology use among youth, including urging the Department of Education in April 2024 to ban cellphones in schools to boost reading comprehension and reduce addiction, and filing Senate Bill 2706 in June 2024 to prohibit mobile devices and gadgets during basic education class hours. The social media ban proposal represents an escalation of these efforts to address broader concerns about online influences and youth protection.
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