Philippine Senate approves social media ban for teens under 18

The Philippine Senate passed Senate Bill 2424 on third reading, banning social media access for everyone under 18, while the House version only bars those under 13 and restricts teens 13–17. A bicameral committee will reconcile the differences before the bill goes to the president.

• Senate version imposes a blanket social media ban for users under 18
• House version bans access only under 13, with limits for ages 13–17
• Both versions mandate age verification and local presence for platforms
• A bicameral committee will reconcile differences in about 2–6 weeks