DAGUPAN CITY, July 24 -- Pangasinan 3rd District Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas is seeking to prohibit independent access to social media for children 12 years old and below to protect them from risks.

This is through Bill 9971 filed at the House of Representatives, entitled "An Act Protecting Filipino Children Below Thirteen Years of Age from the Risks of Social Media by Prohibiting their Independent Access to Social Media Platforms, Establishing a Tiered Safety-By-Design Framework for Adolescents, Imposing Obligations on Social Media Platform Operators, and Appropriating Funds."

Arenas, who is also a House Deputy Speaker, filed the bill on June 30.

"This proposed legislation recognizes that while technology offers many opportunities, exces...