Social media ban for teenagers would not work, say opposition parties, as Simon Harris accused of ‘kite-flying’

Tánaiste Simon Harris has said ­serious consideration needs to be given to a ban, and asked people’s views on the idea on Instagram at the weekend.

He said he would be seeking cross-party examination of whether Ireland could follow the Australian ban and believes the Oireachtas should “work ­constructively” on the issue.

But Sinn Féin described his comments as “kite-flying” and said a comprehensive study was needed first, to take into account the views of mental health experts, school representatives and youth groups.

“If a ban is to be considered, then it should only be considered on the ­basis of empirical data after consultation with experts in the field,” the party’s communications spokesperson Joanna Byrne said.

“I am unsure a complete ban would be technologically feasible, as the headline social media companies such as ­Google, X, TikTok and Meta may agree to ban under-16s, but there is an array of other platforms that teenagers use, such as gaming platforms and chatrooms.”

Laws passed in Australia earlier this year, which will come into force in December, ban under-16s from using social media including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X.

YouTube, which is sometimes used for school activities or learning, is exempt from the laws for “educational and health” reasons.

The laws will place the onus on the operators themselves to implement ­restrictions, using age-verification technology, or else face hefty fines.

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Ms Byrne said while the suggestion “may be lauded as attempting to save this generation of youth’s mental health”, it might also “take the voice away from the younger generation, or marginalised sections of the younger generation, if a total ban is implemented, on a whim and without proper consideration”.

A spokesperson for the Social Democrats said the party “doesn’t believe the ban is workable” but believed that social media companies needed stronger regulation.

Communications Minister Patrick O’Donovan described the online space as “the Wild West” and said he was examining ways to force tech companies to comply with age-verification rules for teenagers.

There is likely to be strong pushback from tech companies, many of which have their European headquarters in Dublin.

But Mr Harris said that Ireland “would not be brow-beaten by anyone” in efforts to put “a regulatory structure in place that protects our democracies, protections our people and most importantly, protects our children”.

In response to a question from Independent TD Paul Gogarty last week, Mr Harris said: “This is an area that requires a lot more action,” adding that “the era of self-regulation is over”.

“This is an area that we should act on. Very serious consideration should be given to the idea of having to be 16 before you are on social media.”

The Irish Medical Organisation has also put its weight behind such a ban, saying it is “imperative” to protect children from accessing extremely damaging content.