Ireland urged to seize 'seatbelt moment' and regulate against online harm for rest of world

Professor Brian O’Neill of Media Literacy Ireland echoed the concern that education can only go so far. File photo

Ireland is facing the equivalent of the “seatbelt moment” for cars, where protecting people from online harms has to go beyond education and awareness-raising, according to experts.

Speaking before an Oireachtas Committee on Media, Mary Aiken, Professor of Forensic Cyberpsychology at University of East London, said that with so many internet giants headquartered in Ireland, the action Ireland takes to regulate the online space will impact the rest of the world.