Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is sending a technical team to the Philippines to study how the country’s national ID system could be used to verify the age of social media users, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said Monday.
The plan was discussed during the House deliberation on the DICT’s proposed P19.49-billion budget for 2027, where Kabataan Party-list Representative Renee Co raised concerns about the government’s proposed social media registration policy.
Co asked DICT for details on the planned rollout, citing concerns from rights groups over privacy and the possible impact of mandatory registration.
Meta eyes national ID for age verification
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said Meta is looking at a system similar to the mechanism being explored with Roblox, where the national ID system could confirm a user’s age without sharing personal information with the platform.
The national ID’s e-Verify system would allow a platform to make a query and receive only a “yes” or “no” response, Aguda explained.
“Walang ililipat na personal information from PSA papunta sa Roblox,” he said.
Aguda said Meta could use a similar system to determine whether users, particularly young people, are accessing age-appropriate content.
Technical team to study proposal
Co also asked about reports that Meta had raised technical concerns over integrating the Philippine national ID into its platforms.
Aguda said the concerns were understandable, noting that Meta has yet to implement a similar system anywhere in the world.
“Hindi pa nila nagagawa 'yan anywhere in the world,” he said.
Because of the technical challenges involved, Aguda said Meta will send a technical working team to the Philippines in about two weeks to study the proposal.
DICT hopes for wider adoption
The DICT hopes the initiative with Roblox can eventually serve as a model for other social media platforms.
“Kaya umaasa kami na kapag naging successful si Roblox, baka ayan din po yung maging technical template and policy template for other social media platforms to follow,” Aguda said.
The DICT previously said it was working on a policy that could require social media platforms to verify users in the country. The agency said such verification could help authorities identify users involved in offenses and cybercrimes committed online.
