Philippines, North Carolina, and Canada Push Social Media Age Limits

Legislators in multiple jurisdictions are pursuing age-based restrictions on minors' social media access, reflecting a growing global movement that follows Australia's ban for users under 16 enacted late last year. In the Philippines, Senator Loren Legarda filed Senate Bill No. 1955, which would set a minimum social media age of 16 and require platform providers to implement privacy-preserving age verification. The bill also establishes an inter-agency council led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology to oversee digital safety. North Carolina is advancing House Bill 301, sponsored by Representative Jeff Zenger, which would ban social media entirely for children under 14 and require parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds. The legislation includes fines between $5,000 and $50,000 for non-compliant companies and mandates that public schools establish AI literacy standards. While the bill has drawn broad legislative support, the American Civil Liberties Union opposes it, arguing it violates First Amendment rights. In Canada, pressure is mounting on the federal government to act. A Leger poll found that a majority of Canadians support age restrictions, with 32% favoring a minimum age of 16 and 29% preferring 17 or older. Only 5% of respondents said there should be no restrictions. The Treasury Board of Canada faces growing calls to pass online harms legislation, a debate intensified by Australia's landmark decision to become the first country to ban social media for individuals under 16.