Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I concur with some of the other younger Deputies. I was brought up with this. I remember going to school when the first phones came out and growing up through the smartphone era. I remember my first time having that urge to check the phone and feeling like I was tied to it. I currently have a blocker on my phone that restricts my social media access but kids are not very aware of what they are doing. We also have to put parents on notice not to give their children phones at such an early age. I do not encourage another phone pouches incident, however. Parents should be liable for their children.

We are living in an age where social media is not simply a place to connect. For many of the young people in my constituency, it has become a daily reality that shapes self-image and relationships. As all the previous speakers said, we are experiencing a mental health crisis, with recent studies showing high levels of mental health problems, especially among young teenagers. The algorithms behind these platforms are adding to that. These algorithms are not designed by people with the intention that people do not stay on the phone. Rather, they are designed to keep people addicted and give them a dopamine hit. We are rewiring the next generation’s brains. Looking at the generation that is growing up, they are constantly comparing and looking. Social media is always about comparison. It is an online image.

I looked at the Act in this regard. Coimisiún na Meán matters and I welcome the fact it has been doing a lot of work. The framework to regulate harmful content online has been good, but it should extend beyond just filtering out extreme content. We need to demand better algorithms, as other Deputies said, transparency and age verification for what people are viewing online, especially young children. The framework offers a platform to tackle cyber-bullying, which I welcome. I heard some other Deputies talking about what they have experienced online. If you cannot face criticism online, you definitely should not become a politician. All issues that impact mental health, especially among children and teenagers, need to be looked at.

I will not mentioned the people by name, but I spoke to a parent in my constituency whose young son has had to come off all social media because he is really struggling with his mental health due to bullying. That is something else we need to regulate.

I am running out of time. I wanted to speak about the need for stronger enforcement online, public awareness, literacy programmes in schools and a transparent view of how the recommendations of algorithms impact young people. It is not just about regulation but, rather, protecting our future generation.

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