Irish Government to consider social media ban for under-16s

Tánaiste Simon Harris is considering a potential ban on social media use for under-16s.

This comes despite the government's current focus on an age-verification system rather than an outright prohibition. Speaking on RTÉ Radio One's Today with David McCullagh, Harris expressed his serious concerns regarding the effects of social media on young people, suggesting that Ireland might need to adopt measures more stringent than its present approach.

“I think we’re going to need to look at what they’re doing in the UK, look at what they’re doing in France, and simply say, in this country, there should be a ban on using social media under the age of 16,” said Harris. “I think there’s huge damage being caused to the mental health and wellbeing of our young people, and I think we have to act. These are fast-moving issues, we weren’t having these sorts of conversations two or three years ago, and I’m deeply, deeply concerned.”

The government is set to begin a pilot of an age-verification system in March to help enforce the current digital age of consent. Several major platforms have already agreed to participate in the pilot, which is being spearheaded by Communications Minister Patrick O’Donovan.

The remarks by Simon Harris had initially indicated that the Irish government was not planning an outright ban on social media for children under 16.

Minister O’Donovan emphasised the importance of aligning with the European Commission, which is currently reviewing options for protecting children online, but has not yet dismissed the possibility of a ban.

"Online Safety is another important policy priority and protecting children, including through robust age verification, is my number one priority," said O'Donovan. "I met the social media companies and set out my stall on this issue to them. I will continue to work on this priority, including with my colleagues in other EU member states, to ensure we make the online world safe for children so that they can continue to enjoy the benefits of enhanced connectivity and learning opportunities."

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy argued that children would be likely to circumvent any ban, and he advocates for legislation that would compel platforms to deactivate recommended algorithms for users under the age of 18.

The Government’s age-verification pilot is expected to begin in the coming weeks, while discussions at EU level on a possible “digital age of majority” are ongoing.