Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I am sure we in this Chamber are all well aware, keeping our children safe in a seemingly limitless digital landscape can be a source of anxiety for parents all around the country. As a parent born in a non-digital world, I know I sometimes yearn for the good old pre-mobile phone days but we all have to acknowledge that the online world has made life so much easier for many people in many ways. It has helped us feel connected to family members who live far away from home and has offered peace of mind to parents and caregivers that they can keep contact with those in their charge without needing to be physically present with them.

As a parent, I am more than happy to acknowledge that the Department of Education and Youth has continued to strengthen online safety supports for young people and teachers in school. I know this is happening and I am glad it is happening but we need to remember that children are only in school for less than 17% of the hours in a week. Last night, I sat down with a few teenagers ranging in age from 14 to 17 in the best place to chat with teenagers - the car. I just said "Online safety: discuss". They said it is the subject they hear the most about in their school life. The message is loud and clear - do not share personal information online. The Department of Education and Youth is doing a good job in schools but online safety is and should be a whole-of-government priority. It should be a major focus for Ireland's upcoming EU Presidency. A priority for me, though, is the need to examine executive liability and consequences for harmful recommender systems, something that every teenager interacts with daily on the "for you" page on TikTok.

This is not a matter that just affects children. Adults too are affected by the algorithm behind these recommender systems. In my view, this is the thing we need to address firmly and quickly. Information and content that users do not necessarily ask for repeatedly pop up right in front of their eyes. If a child, out of curiosity, searches for a topic, whether they like it or not that algorithm can then continually and consistently bring them different content on that topic over and over again. As the saying goes, if you hear a lot of people saying the same thing often enough, it begins to sound real. This is concerning in much broader ways because the algorithm tends to show content similar to what you have already engaged with, which can limit exposure to diverse perspectives.

There is also a lack of transparency and a tendency for the algorithm to amplify harmful threads. This can reinforce existing beliefs and create echo chambers. Simultaneously, and this is really worrying, it can reduce critical thinking and the discovery of new ideas, thereby stunting an individual's creativity.

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