Social media firms must be forced to adopt child protection policies, Tánaiste says

Also, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin said child poverty would be a priority as Budget 2027 is finalised in the weeks ahead

It follows a settlement which saw Meta agree to pay $18bn and promise changes to both Instagram and Facebook which were accused of being designed to be addictive and harmed children. File picture

All social media companies should be compelled to adopt new child protection policies in the wake of a landmark Meta settlement in US, the Tánaiste has said.

Simon Harris has said children and young people should not have their choices, attention, and worldview shaped by “algorithms designed to manipulate, mislead, and take advantage”. “Social responsibility should not have to be compelled in court," Mr Harris said.

The major case, which saw Meta agree to pay $18bn and promise changes to both Instagram and Facebook, was focused on claims within US states that the platforms were designed to be addictive and that they harmed children. Meta has denied all wrongdoing as part of the settlement.

The company is set to introduce changes to improve protections for children online.

In a speech at the Government’s Child Poverty and Wellbeing Summit, Mr Harris said now that a settlement has been reached, there must be a “breakthrough moment”.

“We need to see meaningful safeguards across the vast range of design features that negatively impact our young people,” Mr Harris said. “Social media companies must see that change is now unavoidable.”

Child poverty

In his speech to the summit, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said child poverty would be a priority as Budget 2027 is finalised in the weeks ahead.

“My focus now is on building on the momentum we have created and making sure that we keep moving forward year after year. I want more children and more families to feel the benefit of that progress in their daily lives,” Mr Martin said.

He referred to the Government’s target to reduce national child poverty to 3% or less by the end of 2030, describing it as “our north star”.

“Reducing child poverty quickly and at scale is a real challenge, especially with economic uncertainty and growing demands on public spending,” the Taoiseach said.

Mr Harris, meanwhile, said what happens to children during their childhood matters. Poverty and material deprivation can have “lasting impacts on children's health, wellbeing and life chances,” he said.

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“It can also affect educational outcomes, participation in social activities, and children's overall sense of inclusion. Indeed, the effects often extend far beyond childhood and shape opportunities throughout adult life.”

The Tánaiste added that there is no “quick fix” to child poverty and that it would require input from across multiple Government departments.

“It requires sustained action across every aspect of a child’s life — family income and supports, housing, healthcare, education, nutritious food, early learning and childcare, and opportunities to play and participate,” Mr Harris said.

In particular, the Fine Gael leader said the Government would prioritise making childcare “more affordable, accessible and sustainable” within the upcoming Budget.

The summit comes as a recent report by the Children’s Rights Alliance found 95,170 children lived in consistent poverty in 2025. The 2026 Child Poverty Monitor found that the number of children living in consistent poverty had decreased from 8.5% in 2024 to 7.8% in 2025.

The report, published in June, also found 206,202 children were at risk of falling below the poverty line, the highest of any age cohort in Ireland.