The Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) recently recommended that children aged 16 and below should not use social media. While many parents of younger children may welcome the recommendation, those raising teenagers know that staying off social media is often easier said than done. So why did the PPS draw the line at age 16?

For developmental pediatrician Dr. Jack Herrin, who is a PPS member, this recommendation doesn’t mean that social media is inherently bad. The organization recognizes that children's brains are still developing, particularly the areas responsible for judgment, decision-making, and impulse control.

"We have minimum ages for voting and getting a driver's license because we recognize that maturity matters," Dr. Herrin tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. "It follows the same blueprint. Is the individual mature enough? Can they make the right decisions? Are they impulsive?"

According to Dr. Jack, the brain's prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for decision-making and self-control, continues to mature well beyond childhood. "It helps us make decisions, and it's still maturing. In fact, it matures all the way into your mid-20s. Even if people say, 'I'm already 10, 11, 12, or 13,' the fact is it's just starting to mature."

This ongoing development leaves children and adolescents more vulnerable to impulsive decisions and peer influence, making it harder for them to exercise good judgment while using social media.

He also notes that while turning 16 does not automatically make teenagers immune to these challenges, the age has become a practical benchmark adopted by several countries when determining children's readiness for social media.

Completely banning social media may not be realistic. Dr. Jack believes that parents should focus on supervision. Unlike previous generations who grew up with only a handful of television channels, today's children can instantly access an almost unlimited amount of online content.

"There's an infinite number of channels, an infinite number of materials to watch," he says. Algorithms can also expose children to content parents never intended them to see, particularly when devices are shared among family members of different ages. "If you're only sharing one device across four or five family members of different ages, whose algorithm are you following?" he points out.

Setting boundaries together

Dr. Jack encourages parents, particularly of older children, to establish clear expectations together. He recommends coming to an agreement on how long their devices will be used, what they will be used for, as well as establishing rules and other conditions that everyone understands before allowing gadget use. "It's about making a contract. How long are you going to use it? What are you going to use it for? Let's make clear guidelines."

For younger children, however, parents should take a more hands-on approach. Instead of negotiating screen time, they should establish clear limits and consistently enforce them.

He also reminds parents that setting boundaries around technology begins at home. He suggests scheduling regular gadget-free time as a family, whether by reading together, playing games, or simply talking without screens. "Have a gadget-free night. Bring out a book and spend one or two hours disconnected."

Most importantly, he hopes parents won't view the PPS recommendation as impossible to follow simply because social media has become so common. "Failure of a law doesn't mean the law is bad. It just means we have to think of better ways to implement it."

While age-based recommendations are a helpful guide, Dr. Jack reminds families that meaningful conversations, consistent boundaries, and active guidance remain the best way to prepare children for the responsibilities that come with social media.