A Philippine lawmaker has filed legislation requiring major social media platforms to secure a congressional franchise before operating in the country, seeking to classify digital networks as public services under national law.
House Bill No. 4786, introduced by Rep. David Suarez of Quezon province, seeks to amend Commonwealth Act No. 146, or the Public Service Act.
The measure would declare covered social media platforms as “public services of significant public consequence” operating as critical digital infrastructure, placing them under a regulatory framework similar to telecommunications providers and traditional broadcasters.
- Under the proposed Social Media Platform Franchise Act, foreign and local digital platforms exceeding a user threshold to be set by regulators must obtain legislative approval to operate.
- Covered companies would also be required to establish a registered legal entity or branch office in the Philippines, designate a local compliance officer and maintain a functional grievance system for local users.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Telecommunications Commission would serve as the primary regulatory bodies overseeing platform compliance with content moderation, data privacy and national security standards. The bill explicitly states that the public service classification would not categorize platforms as public utilities or trigger constitutional restrictions on foreign equity ownership.
“Social media is no longer just entertainment,” Suarez said in a statement. “It shapes our democracy, our economy and the safety of our children.”
The renewed legislative push follows a series of violent incidents involving minors, including a Sept. 18 shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, where a 16-year-old student killed three people after interacting with violent extremist groups on platforms including Discord and TikTok. (Read More: CICC Lifts Discord Ban in the Philippines Following Regulatory Compliance Meeting)
The proposal has drawn support from executive officials.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda endorsed the bill, arguing that digital platforms with massive local reach and earnings should be held to the same operational and legal standards as traditional media outlets. Malacañang Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains open to reviewing the proposal to establish regulatory jurisdiction over online networks.
Representatives from digital advocacy group Digital Pinoys urged lawmakers to thoroughly study the framework, noting that enforcing a legislative franchise requirement on global technology platforms could establish an unprecedented global precedent.
If passed, platforms currently operating in the Philippines would be granted a 12-month transition period to comply with the franchise requirement.
This article is published on BitPinas: Lawmaker Proposes Congressional Franchise Requirement for Social Media Companies
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