Meta, Roblox Agree to Philippines' Child Safety Demands, Official Says

Meta Platforms (META) and gaming company Roblox (RBLX) have agreed to implement stronger child-safety protections for users in the Philippines, the country's Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda said on Thursday. The move signals growing regulatory pressure on tech platforms regarding the safety of minors in international markets.

Details of the Agreement

According to Secretary Aguda, the commitments were secured during meetings between Philippine officials and company executives in Singapore. The new safety protocols reportedly include:

• Age-verification systems
• Enhanced parental controls
• Faster takedown procedures for harmful content
• Closer cooperation with law enforcement agencies

"Both agreed to the safety protocols that we requested," Aguda told Reuters. He also noted that Roblox is aiming to establish a local office as early as October, while Meta plans to send a team to Manila to discuss expanding its presence.

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Regulatory and Legislative Context

The agreement comes just one day after Meta agreed to a landmark settlement in the United States, which could cost the company up to $18 billion over the next decade to resolve claims that its platforms harm children. Secretary Aguda stated that the U.S. settlement helped to "boost" the discussions with the companies.

This development also coincides with efforts by Philippine lawmakers to introduce stricter online protections for minors. Recent violent incidents, including a university shooting that was reportedly livestreamed, have intensified calls for new regulations, with some proposals suggesting a ban on social media access for children. Aguda said both Meta and Roblox have agreed to engage with legislators and would cooperate with whatever policies are ultimately enacted.