THE Senate on Thursday approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 2424, or the proposed Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (Smart Kids) Act.
The measure, sponsored by Sen. Robinhood Padilla, was approved via a 16-1 vote, with no abstentions, during the plenary session.
The bill seeks to establish a system for identifying digital services considered high-risk to children and require parents, guardians, and service providers to take measures to protect minors from online harm, reduce excessive distraction from mobile devices and electronic gadgets, and promote a safe environment conducive to learning and healthy development.
Under the measure, high-risk digital services would be required to suspend, restrict, disable, or remove accounts reasonably determined to be owned, operated, or used by individuals below 18 years old.
Platforms covered by the bill would be prohibited from allowing persons under 18 to create or access accounts and would be required to adopt age-assurance mechanisms to verify that users meet the prescribed minimum age.
The restrictions, however, would not apply to email and private messaging services, or collaboration services.
If enacted, the Department of Information and Communications Technology would oversee implementation of the safeguards. The department would also establish a publicly accessible reporting platform where suspected violations could be reported.
Complaints involving harmful content requiring immediate action would be subject to expedited referral or escalation to the concerned digital service providers.
High-risk digital services found violating the law could face fines ranging from P5 million to P20 million for each violation, plus an additional P100,000 daily fine for continued non-compliance.
Parents or legal guardians who knowingly help minors circumvent age-assurance measures could be fined up to P50,000, or be required to perform community service and attend digital parenting and child-safety programs.
