It's crystal clear that an unregulated digital world carries far too many risks for the young

While technology is with us and brings great benefits to everyone, tech platforms and those who are in the business of selling their digital products and advertising to us, must do it in a way that is decent and fair, writes Noeline Blackwell

The guidelines under the Digital Services Act emphasise that platforms must identify how risky their content is to children, and then take practical and workable steps so that children don’t access it. File picture

An EU-wide survey published last month, found that overall, one in three Europeans surveyed were concerned that there were insufficient online protections for children and young people. 

Digging a little deeper, Irish people were more sanguine than the average European about how digital rights and principles were applied, with almost half of those questioned in Ireland (49%) being satisfied compared to a European average of 42%. And yet, for those who care for and work for and with children, and have seen the harms that can occur, it is crystal clear that the digital world carries far too many risks for children and young people.