Former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Jeffrey Dy has opposed the Senate-approved social media ban for minors, urging the government to empower parents rather than penalize them for their children’s online activities.
Dy said the government should prioritize parental controls, digital literacy and access to mental health services instead of imposing blanket restrictions on children’s social media use.
“The government should come in only to empower parents. Empower them instead of penalize them,” Dy told PhilSTAR Tech on the sidelines of Singapore International Cyber Week 2026.
Dy criticized Senate Bill 2424, saying the proposed measure oversimplifies children’s online safety by overlooking the psychological, educational and socioeconomic factors that also need to be addressed.
Under the Senate-approved proposal, parents or guardians who knowingly help minors circumvent social media age restrictions could face fines ranging from Php 5,000 to Php 50,000 and mandatory digital parenting and child online safety programs.
Dy expressed support for the House of Representatives’ version under House Bill 11566, which he said places greater emphasis on parental empowerment and education rather than blanket restrictions.
“I think House Bill 11566 is a superior version. I support that. We should empower parents first,” he said.
“In the end, it’s all about parenting,” he added.
The former DICT official proposed requiring internet service providers to provide parental controls that are enabled by default, allowing parents to manage their children’s access to online platforms.
He said the government should also teach parents how to use these tools, noting that authorities cannot monitor every child’s online activities.
The Senate approved its version of the proposed legislation on third and final reading on Oct. 8, while the House approved its version on Oct. 12. The two chambers must reconcile their respective measures before a final bill can be submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Beyond social media restrictions
Dy also backed Marcos’ position that the government should examine the psychological factors behind school violence and online radicalization before deciding on blanket social media restrictions.
He called for improved access to mental health professionals who could advise parents when they notice changes in their children’s behavior.
Dy also urged schools to increase the number of guidance counselors and provide training on online behavior and the psychological risks children may encounter in digital spaces.
He said digital literacy should become part of the school curriculum to prepare children for online threats and responsible use of digital platforms.
The former DICT official also questioned whether restricting minors’ access to social media could leave them unprepared to use the same platforms later in their professional lives.
He maintained that protecting children online requires a broader approach involving families, schools, technology companies and government agencies.
Cybersecurity as an everyday skill
Dy also called for cybersecurity awareness to become part of everyday life, saying Filipinos should no longer treat online safety as a specialized skill reserved for technology professionals.
“I always advocated that cybersecurity should not be a special skill,” he said.
He urged Filipinos to become more conscious of their online interactions, particularly when communicating with strangers or receiving suspicious links and messages.
Dy also cautioned against engaging too readily with unfamiliar accounts, noting that bots and digital avatars can impersonate real people on social media.
He said parents should exercise the same level of caution when supervising their children’s online activities as they would in physical spaces.
“You should know the people your children are talking to. You should be aware of parental controls at the minimum,” he said.
Dy urged schools to incorporate cybersecurity awareness into their curricula, including lessons on responsible behavior and social interactions in digital spaces.
He also called on public schools to strengthen their efforts to educate students about online safety.
The former DICT official said cybersecurity should become a shared responsibility across society rather than remain concentrated in specialized government units.
He also urged authorities to reassess their approach to cybersecurity following the resignation of DICT secretary Henry Aguda, saying government agencies should involve more sectors of society in addressing online threats.
“The strategy must be to involve the entire community in how to solve this issue of cybersecurity,” Dy said.
