Dr. Geoffrey Shannon:

Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child talks about the age and maturity of the child as being the yardsticks by which we determine what to do in this context.

If one is looking for a framework within which to make decisions, it has to be dependent on the age and maturity of the child. The point I articulated in my opening statement was that Article 17 of the general data protection regulation provided a further framework for dealing with this issue. I am suggesting we have an express statutory provision, modelled on Article 12, in order that this right would be reflected in our domestic legislation. Who has not posted material which they regretted afterwards? This is particularly important in the context of children. We know that teenagers will post material online in haste and may very well regret it. Where I see it as being particularly poignant is in the context of a young adult applying for a job as such posts might be found if a potential employer were to make a search on Google. I am saying that at that practical level there needs to be an awareness that children-----