‘Banning social media for kids constitutional’

MANILA, Philippines — Restricting social media access for children is now a constitutional duty for lawmakers given the worsening impact of social media on mental, physical and social development, according to the think tank of the House of Representatives.

The Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department is pushing for the passage of a measure that would ban under-13 children from social media use.

The CPBRD said in a policy brief that the Constitution requires the state to promote and protect children’s physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being.

Citing multiple studies, the CPBRD said social media has contributed to the rising occurrence of mental health issues among the youth.

A recent study in Belgium reported a correlation between usage patterns on Facebook and Instagram and depressive symptoms.

The CPBRD also flagged the ad-based model among social media networks, which is exposing children to algorithms meant to keep them scrolling. Further, there are concerns on social media sites becoming platforms for hate speech, which could inflame the youth.

Given social media’s lure for extended phone time, the CPBRD said “a growing body of research asserts that excessive use of social media is associated with notably poor sleep quality.”

The CPBRD noted that this is not the first time the government would be intervening to prevent children from accessing activities that may be lawful, but pose long-term risks.