Children’s groups warn EU social media ban ‘falls short’

CHILDREN’S organisations have warned that a proposed EU social media ban will not, on its own, protect young people from online harms.

In a statement responding to the announcement of the EU KIDS Act, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) explained that the ban won’t work and “will cause even more difficulties and inequalities” for children as they navigate the ever-evolving digital world.

“We do welcome the focus on the need for strict rules regarding safe design. It is imperative that the role of the technology companies, whose deliberate and intentional designs underpin much of the harm, for profit, is addressed in a truly meaningful way. From our work with children and young people, we know why a ban alone is not the right approach.”

John Church, ISPCC CEO, commented: “It is essential that children and young people are supported to question what they see online, to understand how algorithms shape their experience and to trust their instincts when something feels wrong.

"However, as the sophistication of these technologies develop and now with AI embedded into them, this is becoming a mammoth challenge to support. The impact of harmful online content inevitably spills into children’s offline lives, affecting their wellbeing.”

CyberSafeKids welcomed the European Commission's ongoing commitment to protecting children in a digital world but Alex Cooney, CEO and Co-founder said: “Without compelling penalties for failures to adhere to the rules, we remain sceptical as to whether this Act will bring the seismic change it envisages.

“While we would like to have seen stronger requirements imposed on gaming companies, access to gaming apps will be subject to verification of age, according to age rating frameworks to be developed.

“All of these are important steps in the right direction and will have a meaningful impact if compliance is fully and consistently enforced,” explained Ms Cooney. “We are concerned the proposal falls short in this area, despite the Commission’s recent assurances that the burden of proof will shift to technology companies and that they must prove their products are safe before reaching children.”

The CyberSafeKids CEO said the organisation has been calling for a pre-certification system – similar to a CE mark – “to be required for digital products before they reach the market and tied to tougher penalties for non-compliance, such as blocking of services or, as we ourselves have previously called for, and heard several times at last week’s Online Safety Conference under the Irish Presidency, criminal liability.”

Barnardos echoed others concerns, saying that the proposal appears to rely on significant parental involvement/management for children aged 13-15. “It remains to be seen how will age verification work in practice and ensure children’s privacy is protected.”

Niamh McLoughlin, Barnardos Online Safety Programme Co-Ordinator, commented: “We know from working with children and parents across the country that they want to feel safe and supported online, developing through their online engagement without their wellbeing being harmed.

“It is vital children’s voices continue to play a role in implementation and evaluation of the reforms, measuring their success. It is important that the priority remains protecting children’s rights, reducing harm to children and improving their wellbeing, because childhood lasts a lifetime.”

Online Safety Coordinator, Noeline Blackwell, Children's Rights Alliance, added: “A frustrating level of political attention and energy has been sucked up by debates on blanket bans when really we need to look under the hood of how our online world is designed and who is in control.

Ms Blackwell noted: “We have a real concern too if the EU Commission’s main solution to current harm is to propose new legislation which will likely take months if not years to conclude.”