Young people may see social media ban as 'punishment', Dáil committee hears

Critics have said a blanket ban would shift responsibility that should rest with these platforms to keep their users safe onto the children who actually use them.

Young people may see a ban on them being able to access social media as a “punishment” for their engagement with it, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Furthermore, the potential to pursue individuals in companies that breach online safety laws “isn’t off the table”, according to a Department of Media official, as TDs called for greater accountability from social media platforms.

Representatives from the department and Coimisiún na Meán addressed the media committee around online harms affecting children, in particular, on Wednesday, with the latter saying it had received more than 530 contacts to its contact centre already this year, with over 30 related to the Grok controversy.

In advance, committee chair Alan Kelly said its members had concerns around the exposure of children and young people to harmful and illegal content online, including AI-generated material in the wake of the Grok undressing scandal on the Elon Musk-owned X platform.

It comes as the Government is considering plans for an age verification tool as part of Ireland’s soon-to-be-rolled-out digital wallet. A pilot is due to be rolled out in the coming months where this tool can be used to provide assurance of your age online.

Furthermore, it remains unclear if the Government will press ahead with plans to ban social media for under-16s to follow the example of Australia after its new digital strategy announced last week stopped short of a commitment in this regard, saying it would work with the EU on it instead.

Critics have said a blanket ban would shift responsibility that should rest with these platforms to keep their users safe onto the children who actually use them.

Karen McAuley, director of policy for children and vulnerable adults at Coimisiún na Meán, said the regulator had a youth advisory committee which it had consulted with on strengthening protections for children from online harm.

“Their general view is that they don't favour the introduction of such [a ban],” she said.

“First of all, they made the point that social media is very much embedded in children's lives, and they referenced in particular, that it's what they described as a lifeline, and particularly for young people who may be vulnerable and isolated.

“And they also suggested that a ban risks pushing young people to unregulated online spaces and therefore shifting the problems elsewhere, where they're harder to reach.

“And finally, and I think importantly, they suggested young people might see a ban as a form of punishment of them for their engagement with social media.”