Cyberbullying - Protecting children

The latest report on protecting children in Ireland is wide-ranging, authoritative and warrants urgent action by Government.

Parents will be reassured by its demand that internet service providers and companies such as Facebook provide the gardaí with IP (internet protocol) addresses when cyberbullying complaints are received.

With the welfare and even the lives of children at risk through suicide, disclosure of this data is vital in tackling anonymous internet bullying which can ruin a young person’s life. Besides recommending that the age of criminal responsibility be raised to 12, it wants victims of cyberbullying to be anonymous in the courts and new offences introduced of knowingly obtaining access to child porn and grooming children.