Coimisiún na Meán report: Irish children favor online safety education over social media bans

A new research report published by Coimisiún na Meán reveals that a majority of children in Ireland prefer online safety education over a total ban on social media. The findings, part of the EU Kids Online study, indicate that nearly 70% of children believe teaching digital safety is more effective than prohibition.

Parents and caregivers show similar sentiments, with approximately 49% favoring education over a ban. Many parents expressed skepticism regarding the efficacy of bans, as 43% of caregivers and two-thirds of children believe young users would simply find ways to circumvent such restrictions.

Despite the preference for education, over 60% of parents noted that removing social media access could positively impact children's mental health and school focus. While countries like Australia, France, and the UK have implemented or proposed age-based bans, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin has suggested that any potential ban in Ireland should ideally be coordinated at the European Union level.