Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 13 May 2021

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht

General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Johnny MythenJohnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I cannot see why we cannot use the Public Health (Alcohol) Act as an example. We have the junk food industry as well. As witnesses said, if we allow service providers to have their own standards, they are there for profit, to make money and to exploit. They will exploit children. I have grandchildren and it is worrying. Mr. Church spoke about a 13-year-old with Kate's story. I have grandchildren aged six, seven and eight who are using this stuff. The first thing they are bought as a toy is the digital stuff. They are learning all the time. We all have to face this, which is relatively new. Young people are growing up with this stuff and see it every day in the week, with little remote toys. You see the system. There is a mechanism where they are putting in that and influencing through that.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.