Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Most of us are online daily for work, social interactions, connection, booking tickets, and reading. The list of what we do online is endless. It has been an incredible tool for the world. However, like everything else, there is a downside, and we know these downsides. We cannot say that we do not.

The online companies, especially social media companies, are too big and powerful for most governments. Two or three social media companies dominate the sector and that is not good for society. I have listened to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Members, and Government Independents, and I agree with virtually everything they said, but here is the challenge: are they big enough to stand up to the companies? I do not think they are because they have not so far.

Banning young people from social media and then keeping them off social media sounds like a good thing and sounds easy. However, is that fair? Is it the right thing to do? I think we need much more conclusive evidence on social media than we currently have. We have talked about the algorithms and that is the critical piece of information. Not once has the Government mentioned tackling the social media companies' algorithms. Do we need to do something around young people and their seeing experience? Absolutely, but here is where it gets tricky because that would mean holding social media companies to account for their algorithms. Within 20 minutes of new users going online, those algorithms push extremely harmful material towards them - overly sexualised content, self-harm, gambling, hate-filled racist content, all the things we all agree are harmful to young people. Sinn Féin supports age verification, which must be strengthened using new technology. Social media companies both inside and outside the EU must be held equally responsible.

I would like to talk about non-social media online content. This is where I would support a ban on young people up to the age of 16 or possibly 18 accessing hardcore pornographic sites. There is ample evidence that children and young people are accessing these sites, which is utterly unacceptable. Youth advocates, counsellors and teachers are telling us that they are hearing overly sexualised language and reports of young people mimicking this hardcore pornographic content thinking that it is normal. It is too easy for children and young people to access these sites and we must do everything to support young people as they navigate their youth. It is clear that money, greed and profit are the only motivators for online companies, be they social media or other types of online content. Just as we heavily regulate harmful material in all other aspects of life, such as smoking, chemicals, gambling, alcohol and drugs, we must heavily regulate online media. The time for hands off is over. Self-regulation is no regulation.

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