Filipino youth want stronger protections online, but most are not calling for blanket exclusion from social media, according to findings from Plan International Pilipinas’ consultations and assessment study on children’s digital experiences.

In a 2026 consultation conducted amid ongoing debates on social media restrictions for minors, 63% of respondents favored conditional access with safeguards, while 29% supported an outright ban and 7% opposed a ban entirely. The consultation gathered responses from 164 participants through an online survey and included a focus group discussion with 13 members of Plan International Pilipinas’ Youth Advisory Group.

The findings suggest that young people are not asking for unrestricted access. Instead, they are calling for stronger protections, age-appropriate safeguards, greater accountability from technology companies, and more support in developing the skills needed to navigate online spaces responsibly.

This perspective is consistent with Plan International Pilipinas’ earlier Landscape Assessment of Online Platforms Used by Children and Young People in Selected Regions of the Philippines, which examined how children and young people use digital platforms, the risks they encounter, and the protections they believe would make their online experiences safer.

The mixed-method assessment reached 590 participants, including 494 online survey respondents, 80 focus group discussion participants and 16 key informants from selected areas across the country.

The study found that digital platforms already play an important role in young people’s everyday lives. Communication emerged as the leading reason for using online platforms, followed by education and learning, leisure, and stress reduction. Young people use these spaces to stay connected with family and friends, join communities, share updates, access information, learn new skills, and participate in online classes.

Among respondents aged 15 to 17, social media and messaging platforms were used frequently for communication, education, and leisure, with young people showing greater independence in choosing and using applications. At the same time, they called for stronger safeguards, including age-appropriate content filters, improved privacy and reporting mechanisms, safer platform design, greater parental guidance, and stronger digital literacy support.

The study makes clear that young people recognize the risks associated with online spaces, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, scams, privacy concerns, online exploitation and excessive use. The respondents called for stronger action from online platforms and government, including more effective safeguards and greater accountability for harmful content and unsafe interactions.

Taken together, Plan International Pilipinas’ findings point to a more nuanced position. Young people want to be safer online, but they also value the opportunities digital platforms provide for learning, communication, expression and connection.

“Our ultimate goal here is not to remove teens from the digital environment, but to equip them with the necessary practical skills, so they can safely navigate the online environment safely, critically, and responsibly,” said Sheila Estabillo, Project Manager of Plan International Pilipinas.

The organization has emphasized that online safety is a shared responsibility involving families, schools, government, communities, civil society and technology companies. Its assessment study points to the need for a combination of appropriate regulation, digital literacy, age-appropriate design, parental support, effective reporting mechanisms and stronger platform accountability.

Among respondents in the earlier landscape assessment, TikTok ranked highest among social media applications perceived as child-friendly at 40.7%, followed by Facebook at 32.2%, Instagram at 16.1% and Snapchat at 11%. The report, however, also identified safety gaps across digital platforms and emphasized the need for stronger protections for children and young people.

Plan International Pilipinas’ findings suggest that, when it comes to regulating social media usage, Filipinos should not be made to choose between access and safety. Young people are asking for both meaningful protection from online harms and the ability to continue benefiting from digital spaces for education, communication, creativity and participation.