Philippine pediatric societies call for stricter social media limits for children

The United Arab Emirates announced a ban on social‑media use for children under 15, joining other nations such as Australia, Britain and Canada. In the Philippines, the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (PSDBP) issued a joint statement warning that unsupervised social‑media use by children 16 and younger can harm mental health and development. They advise that any access should be co‑managed by parents or guardians, with clear boundaries and age‑appropriate guidance. The groups cite anxiety, emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbance and worsening behavioural symptoms as observed outcomes. Both societies urge platforms to adopt a safety‑by‑design framework that disables features exploiting children’s developmental vulnerabilities, improves age‑verification, and reduces exposure to harmful content. They emphasize parental supervision as the primary safeguard while acknowledging the educational benefits of social media.