Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to section 139D and the issue of age-appropriate online content, the Bill refers to content that is unsuitable for children, either generally or below a particular age, having regard to their capabilities, but it does not actually state an age. What is an appropriate age? There was a recommendation from the Oireachtas joint committee to have a minimum age for social media accounts and put the responsibility on social media companies to have a minimum age for children setting up accounts. At present, it is obvious that children aged nine and ten have social media accounts. We have to put the responsibility on the companies. When we spoke to Frances Haugen, we put this comment to her and she was in agreement that we need to set a minimum age. We met just today with the Children's Rights Alliance's, which is also in favour of this. It is an opportunity for us to be a world leader.

I want to put it on record and I may discuss it with the Minister’s officials with regard to perhaps putting something forward on Report Stage. I understand she cannot comment on it at this stage as it is not an amendment, but I want to put it on the record. I think that is the right way to go. We need to set a minimum age and we need to put the responsibility on the social media companies to make sure that our children are protected and they are not online or have accounts at an inappropriate age. The Bill does not set out what that age is.