Confirmation of under-16s social media ban expected today

Ottoline Spearman

Cabinet will consider a new artificial intelligence strategy on Wednesday, that will likely confirm the Government's intention to introduce legislation to ban social media access for those under 16.

The move follows Australia, which was the first country to introduce such a ban last year, and other European countries including France and Spain, which have announced similar bans.

Last year, the Government announced a trial of a “digital wallet” age verification mechanism for accessing social media platforms. The Irish Times understands that the plan discussed on Wednesday will outline how online safety will be a priority during Ireland’s European Union presidency.

According to the Irish Times, ministers will be told that while the preference is to move to restrict access at the European level, Ireland will nonetheless take action.

Also to be discussed are Government plans to engage with the European Commission to ensure that the list of prohibited practices under the EU AI Act remains suitable as AI capabilities grow.

Several ministers including Tánaiste Simon Harris, have said that they would like to see restrictions on social media, but the meeting today will be the strongest commitment yet to implement an outright ban.

The move follows the opening of an EU investigation in early January into X's AI chatbot Grok over the nudification of images of young people, with Ireland's data protection commission announcing on Tuesday that it has also opened an inquiry into X.

An EU investigation into Shein was also announced on Tuesday, which is looking into claims of illegal and addictive content.

In papers sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs ahead of Ireland's upcoming EU presidency, tech giant Meta said that the Government should focus on helping to scrap the upcoming EU law called the Digital Fairness Act.

An interim report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence released in December also said that “recommender systems should be switched off by default and social media companies should be banned from turning on recommender algorithms for accounts used by children”.

Around three-quarters of Ireland’s corporation tax comes from large US multinationals, with just two sectors – tech and manufacturing – accounting for about 87 per cent of that, according to Ireland’s Fiscal Advisory Council.

Noeline Blackwell, Online Safety Coordinator with the Children’s Rights Alliance, does not believe that a social media ban is the answer.

"Undoubtedly, it’s attractive to adult decision makers. It is something that can be done and one is seen to be ‘doing something’", she said.

She said that a "bigger conversation" needs to be done before an outright ban is enforced.

"If we follow the Australian experiment, children are not banned from the internet, merely banned from having their own social media accounts if they are under 16.

This does not stop them accessing social media content on their browsers, nor going onto other platforms not subject to the ban which, as less regulated, may have even less protections than those on the banned platforms."

"It punishes children for the fixable faults created by the tech giants by denying them the social engagement that is some of the best parts of social media. And even worse, it may drive them to socialise in secretive ways which predators use to groom children for sexual and financial abuse.

Children who find themselves in these situations may be even less likely to report that they are scared or being extorted because they are doing something illegal or banned."

"A ban does not provide the clubs, the youth workers, the safe playgrounds, the links to their families and friends in the offline world that might nourish and support children. Above all, it doesn’t address the problem. The problem is not children, or the fact that they’re socialising online. The problem is that the products aren’t safe enough."

Previously, Cybersafe Kids CEO was also of the opinion that a blanket ban on social media wouldn't work.

Alex Cooney told BreakingNews.ie that if a ban is for under 16s is enacted, children will inevitably find workarounds, and there is also no pressure on social media companies to reform.