Youth Groups Oppose Under-16 Social Media Ban, Advocate Digital Literacy

TDs and Senators were informed that banning young people from social media is not a realistic solution to harmful content and could push them into «darker» online spaces. Youth organizations, speaking at an Oireachtas children’s committee meeting on Thursday, advocated for digital literacy as a better approach. This discussion follows Australia's December ban on social media for under-16s, which prompted Ireland and other countries to consider similar restrictions.

Emilia de Búrca from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office youth advisory panel, stated that bans are a «quick fix» that fail to address underlying issues of online harm. She noted that social media is designed to be addictive, and young people could easily bypass age restrictions. De Búrca emphasized that bans deny young people access to online benefits and would be difficult to enforce due to ineffective age-verification technology. She called for more emphasis on digital literacy for young people, parents, guardians, and teachers to identify misleading content.

De Búrca also asserted that social media companies have a fundamental duty to ensure user safety, quickly remove harmful content, and face strong legal requirements to tackle harmful algorithms and prevent children from encountering misinformation or extremist content. Róisín O’Neill from the National Youth Council of Ireland’s youth advisory group added that algorithms often favor «shocking and aggressive content.» She highlighted that social media offers self-exploration and education, but harmful content makes it challenging. O’Neill stressed the need for «critical digital literacy education across generations» so all ages can navigate the online world safely.

O’Neill argued that young people want to be part of mainstream conversations, not pushed into less regulated online spaces. She quoted Sunita Bose, managing director of Sydney-based Digital Industry Group, saying, «Swimming has risks, but we don’t ban young people from the beach – we teach them to swim between the flags.» She concluded that a blanket ban would not address online risks effectively, and young people seek «realistic, nuanced, evidence-based and targeted solutions.» In February, the Cabinet approved a digital and AI strategy without an under-16 social media ban, opting instead to consult the EU and other countries on measures to keep children off certain platforms.