Zubiri joins debates on social media access for minors

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday backed a serious discussion on proposals banning or strictly limiting social media use for minors in light of the fatal shooting at a school in Tacloban City involving young learners there.

“This tragedy should push us to confront a hard truth: the influence of social media on children has become very strong,” Zubiri said in a statement.

“Whether a child is bullied or not, violent content, online threats, dangerous trends and hateful behavior can plant ideas in young minds and give them the confidence to act on things they should never even consider,” he added.

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According to police, one of the two suspects had posted gun-related videos on his social media accounts before the incident.

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READ: Tacloban shooting suspect posted gun-related videos online

The suspects, aged  14 and 15, opened fired at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City around 9 a.m on Monday, killing three learners and wounding several others.

“That is why I support a serious discussion on banning or strictly limiting social media access for young children,” Zubiri continued.

“We need to monitor children more closely online, because at their age they can be easily influenced by what they see, read, and watch on social media,” he said.

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Zubiri pointed out that there is a pending bill in the Senate, seeking to prohibit children below 16 from registering, accessing or maintaining social media accounts.

“We are not alone: Australia has already banned social media for children under 16, while the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Malaysia, the UAE and other countries have moved or are moving toward stricter age limits, age verification and tighter protections for minors online,” he further said.

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It was Sen. Joel Villanueva, who earlier mentioned about proposals restricting social media access for  children below 15 years old as one of the measures that he said need to be studied following the shooting incident.

READ: School shooting sparks talks on tighter social media use for minors

Zubiri likewise believes Congress should start exploring the possibility of amending the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act “and study whether minors as young as 14 who commit heinous crimes such as murder, rape and similar grave offenses should be tried as adults, with due process, discernment and rehabilitation still properly considered.”

The currently law exempts children, aged 15 and below, from criminal liability.

Aside from the proposed amendments to the law and social media regulation,  Zubiri underscored the need to address security issues in all campuses.

“If this is also an issue of funding for security personnel, equipment, training, inspection systems or proper screening measures, then Congress, through the Senate, can deliberate on the necessary support to help make schools safer,” he said.

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Zubiri concluded with a call on all concerned government agencies “to act with urgency, strengthen school security, protect children online, and make sure no other family will have to suffer this kind of heartbreak again.” /das