Ireland Mulls Ban on Social Media for Children Under 16
The proposed framework, reported by a public broadcaster, places online safety for under-16s at its core — and signals a significant legislative shift in how Dublin intends to govern the digital lives of its youngest citizens.
The initiative is also poised to become a cornerstone of Ireland's upcoming European Union presidency, running from July 1 through December 31, 2026, underscoring the urgency with which officials are treating the issue at both a national and continental level.
Ahead of any formal legislation, the government has already launched a trial of a "digital wallet" age verification system designed to regulate young users' access to social media platforms — a move that signals momentum behind enforcement mechanisms, not just policy intentions.
On the AI front, Dublin plans to engage directly with the European Commission to ensure that prohibited practices listed under Article 5 of the EU's AI Act keep pace with the rapidly expanding capabilities of artificial intelligence.
Ireland's push follows Australia, which last year became the first country in the world to legislate a social media ban for under-16s. Several European nations — among them France, the UK, Spain, Denmark, and Italy — are either actively considering or already rolling out comparable restrictions, reflecting a broader global reckoning over children's digital rights.
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