Philippine Senate Passes SMART KIDS Act Banning Minors' Social Media

The Philippine Senate passed Senate Bill 2424, the Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (SMART KIDS) Act, in a 16-1 vote on October 8. The legislation prohibits individuals under 18 from accessing high-risk digital services, including specific gaming and social media platforms, while exempting news services, email, private messaging, and educational tools.

Sponsored by Senator Robinhood Padilla, the measure follows a series of fatal school shootings in Tacloban, Zamboanga, and South Cotabato. Lawmakers linked these incidents to online grooming and radicalization. The act mandates strict age-assurance mechanisms and requires platforms to delete accounts belonging to minors. The Department of Information and Communications Technology will oversee implementation, with non-compliant providers facing fines between P1 million and P20 million.

Senator Risa Hontiveros cast the lone negative vote, arguing that a blanket ban could restrict youth communication and employment opportunities. The bill now moves toward reconciliation with a House of Representatives version, which proposes a lower age limit of 13.