The House of Representatives approved a Philippine social media bill on Monday, Oct. 12, that would set safety rules for children on social media and online gaming platforms. The Senate passed a stricter proposal on Oct. 8. The two chambers must still reconcile their versions.
House Bill 11566, or the proposed Safe and Friendly Environment for Kids in Digital Spaces (Safe Acts) Act, passed third and final reading with 288 votes in favor, three against and no abstentions, ABS-CBN News reported.
What the House bill would do
The bill sets a minimum age for social media and covered digital platforms. Children below 13 could not create, maintain or use accounts, according to ABS-CBN News.
Children aged 13 to 18 could still use digital platforms, but with limits on harmful content, behavioral profiling, unnecessary data collection, purchases and gambling-like features.
Platforms would have to run Child Safety Risk Assessments and address harmful content and high-risk features. An Office for Children’s Social Media and Digital Safety under the Department of Information and Communications Technology would monitor compliance, while the National Telecommunications Commission would handle administrative enforcement.
How the Senate version differs
Senate Bill 2424, the proposed Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (SMART KIDS) Act, passed third reading with 16 votes in favor and one against, GMA News reported. It would require high-risk digital services to ensure no one under 18 can access or create an account, using age-assurance measures.
The Senate said the rules would not cover email, private messaging, educational platforms, news services, professional collaboration tools or online games not primarily used for social networking. GMA reported fines of ₱5 million to ₱20 million per violation for high-risk services, plus ₱100,000 for each day of non-compliance.
| Detail | House (HB 11566) | Senate (SB 2424) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Passed third reading Oct. 12 | Passed third reading Oct. 8 |
| Vote | 288 to 3, no abstentions | 16 to 1 |
| Under 13 | Barred from creating or using accounts | Barred from high-risk platforms |
| Teens (13 to 17) | Allowed, with limits on harmful content, profiling and purchases | Barred from high-risk platforms |
| Covered services | Social media and online gaming platforms | High-risk digital services; email, private messaging, education, news and non-social games excluded |
| Penalties | Not detailed in the reports reviewed | ₱5 million to ₱20 million per violation, plus ₱100,000 daily |
Neither proposal is law yet
Passing one chamber does not put the rules into effect. Reuters reported that the House and Senate must reconcile their different versions before a final measure goes to the President.
Until a bill is enacted, neither proposal creates new obligations for platforms or families. The final text may also differ from both versions, so details on age limits, covered services and penalties can still change.
Why it matters
For families and platforms, the question is what survives reconciliation. The House bill would block children under 13 and restrict how teens use platforms, while the Senate bill would bar everyone under 18 from high-risk services. That gap is the main point to watch.
For related coverage of platform rules, see our reports on the EU’s DSA breach finding against Meta and the GoreBox ban in the Philippines.
What is House Bill 11566?
It is a House bill, also called the Safe Acts Act, that sets safety standards for children on social media and online gaming platforms. It passed third and final reading on Oct. 12, 2026, and it is not yet law.
How is the House bill different from the Senate bill?
The House bill bars children under 13 from creating accounts and restricts how teens use platforms. The Senate bill would bar anyone under 18 from high-risk digital services. The chambers still need to reconcile the texts.
Is the Philippine social media bill already law?
No. The House and Senate passed different versions, and those must be reconciled and sent to the President before any law can take effect.
