Enforce 'robust' age verification on all social media, Foley tells commissioner

The online safety commissioner is currently working on a draft online safety code, which will provide real powers of enforcement over social media platforms.

Education Minister Norma Foley has asked the online safety commissioner to introduce and enforce “robust” age verification across all social media platforms.

In a letter to commissioner Niamh Hodnett, Ms Foley said that — as far as she is concerned — it is no longer tenable for social media platforms to “stand idly by”, and said the likes of TikTok, Facebook, and X must take responsibility for protecting younger users.

While Ms Foley acknowledges that many social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram, have an age limit of 13, she said it is very easy for children to “get around this” as they “just have to declare a date of birth online that puts them at age 13 or older”.

She said: “I am aware of many primary school children who are using these social media apps, despite being aged under 13.

“Indeed, there are often Snapchat groups in sixth class, for example, which have half the class on them.

“This is clear proof that the current system of age verification is broken. This is creating a series of risks for children,” Ms Foley added.

The commissioner is currently working on a draft online safety code with Coimisiún na Meán, which will provide real powers of enforcement — including fines of up to €20m potentially being levied if platforms and providers do not co-operate.

As part of this, Ms Foley has called for strict measures to ensure children do not have access to these sites.

“I have noticed that representatives of X and Meta recently suggested, at the Oireachtas Children’s committee, that app stores (such as the Apple Appstore for iPhones or the Google Play store for Android smartphones) should be responsible for effective age verification,” Ms Foley said in her letter.

“I believe this is just trying to transfer responsibility onto someone else to solve the problem, and I do not accept this as a solution at all,” she added.

Education Minister Norma Foley said that there are 'often Snapchat groups in sixth class, which have half the class on them'. Picture: Tommy Clancy.

Ms Foley said social media firms have a “duty of care” to young people, and should be forced to implement a robust age verification system of their own to protect children from inappropriate content and online predators.

“I am, therefore, urging you to ensure that the final version of the online safety code provides for such a system of robust age verification for social media platforms.

“I believe that a robust system is another important safeguard that we can put in place to protect our children,” the minister said.

An Online Harms Evidence review, published by Coimisiún na Meán, stated that many social media websites have an age limit of 13, but do not verify this age through photographic ID coupled with photo submission.

The review noted that many children said social media platforms are often where they unintentionally encounter sexually explicit material.

They can also view and upload videos depicting self-harming behaviours easily and accessibly.

It also said: “If a young person views violent or sexually explicit content, whether by accident or deliberately, the algorithms and recommendation systems can lead to similar content being directed and recommended to the user, resulting in further consumption of age-inappropriate content.”