Social media ban on the way for under-16s amid ‘the question of which is more important’

The Government is to introduce online verification processes that will effectively ban under-16s from social media, Extra.ie understands.

Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan has told the Dáil that work is underway in Government to introduce ‘robust age verification’ which will be linked to the forthcoming ‘digital wallet being developed using MyGovID’.

He added that he is prepared to face major pushback from technology firms and privacy campaigners.

The digital wallet will store important ­documents such as a driving licence, passport and birth certificate on a person’s phone or digital device.

It is understood the Government is examining technological solutions to use the digital documents for age verification ­purposes on social media and X-rated websites.

MyGovID is an identification linked to a person’s PPS number and is used to access a range of public services online, such as tax and social welfare.

Government sources have indicated to Extra.ie that because people are not issued a MyGovID until the age of 16, those below that age will effectively be banned from social media sites.

Mr O’Donovan said he is ‘very conscious’ of the complexities of the issue, which is likely to face significant resistance from tech firms and privacy campaigners.

But he added: ‘The question of which is more important, privacy or the protection of children online, will be a difficult and salient one for the House.

‘That is a question we will have to answer as a House soon, because I will have to bring forward proposals, along with my colleagues the ministers for public expenditure and reform and social protection. I hope all parties support that.’

Taoiseach Micheál Martin also hinted at social media reforms this week, which he indicated would be ‘painful in the moment’ but that future generations would be ‘thankful’ for.

Media Minister Patrick O'Donovan. (RollingNews.ie)

Explaining the proposals, Mr O’Donovan, the Fine Gael TD for Limerick County, said: ‘I am working across the Government to support robust age verification.

‘In doing so, we must seek to ensure interoperability and respect users’ rights, including data protection rights.

‘To that end, my officials are working with the Government’s chief information officer and his office to look at practical technical solutions to age verification as part of the Government’s digital wallet being developed using MyGovID.’

The Government says the digital wallet will allow people to ‘securely’ keep digital versions of ‘important documents’ such as a driving licence or a birth cert on their phone or computer.

It is understood that the chief information officer is looking to work with Google and Apple to allow them to be able to integrate the wallet into their systems to ensure that appropriate age verification can take place.

This would mean that certain apps and websites could not be accessed by people without the appropriate MyGovID.

Mr O’Donovan indicated he is ready to face down privacy concerns.

He said: ‘How do we verify someone’s age without having a data set that we know is verifiable? If someone says they are not prepared to hand over a data set, how can a person’s age be verified?

‘This is a very serious issue. In order to protect a child, we must have robust and strong data that shows he or she is over 18.’

Senior Government figures pointed to Australia, which has recently introduced age ­verification, and compared it to people opening bank accounts who have to be able to show who they are before they open an account.

Australia will become the first country to introduce a social media ban for all children under the age of 16. The law will apply to X, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Twitch and Kick.

One senior Government source said: ‘I imagine something similar to that is what we are aspiring to when we are protecting our children ‘It seems like a reasonable approach to take.’

They confirmed that everyone will have to prove their age to access certain websites, not just teenagers or young adults.

It is ‘hoped’ that this will ‘clean up’ social media to a degree.

Asked if the requirement to be 16 or older to obtain a MyGovID online would equate to a de facto ban on social media for those below that age, the source said ‘if you can’t get it until you’re 16, that makes sense’.

There is also a hope that the age verification will help stamp out grooming by adults pretending to be children in online spaces.

Speaking from Angola earlier this week, the Taoiseach said that the Government would not react in a ‘knee jerk’ fashion to Australia’s decision to ban under-16s from social media.

However, he hinted at significant social media reforms in a post on his X account this week, containing a video where he is interviewed by Fianna Fáil TD Albert Dolan.

Deputy Dolan asks what ­‘painful in-the-moment’ decisions are on the way that future ­generations will ultimately be ‘thankful’ for.

Mr Martin replies that decisions around how social media ‘interacts and impacts children’ is likely to be one.

The Fianna Fáil leader said: ‘It could be in the area of social media. And in terms of its ­interaction and impact on ­children. I think AI is coming quickly as well.

‘I think there is a piece of work to do not just to protect children, a better way, a more positive way to put this is to also enable ­children to navigate the world of social media in an informed way.

‘The internet happened, and we weren’t prepared, and everyone went, “this is great”. Then, it was a reactive response to that. AI is giving us an opportunity not to be overly regulated, but rather to be innovative as well.’

The Programme for Government commits to ‘examining ways to enforce age verification obligations on online service providers and hold them to account for ­failure to do so’.

Earlier this year, Tánaiste Simon Harris said ‘Very serious consideration should be given to the idea of having to be 16 before you are on social media.

‘We should work constructively, across parties, perhaps with the new committee structures and the likes which exist in this house to really scrutinise this,’ he said.

A decision is also expected from the EU on what is called the ‘majority age of consent’, which is expected to be set at either 15 or 16.

This would be an EU-wide age of digital adulthood, below which minors would need parental consent to log onto social media.

Some EU countries are also proposing the integration of age ­verification and parental control systems for devices connected to the internet.

Social media sites have been asking for forms of government identification or linking bank accounts to implement age verification. A spokesman for the ­Department of Media said: ‘Under Ireland’s Online Safety Code, video sharing platforms ­established in Ireland which allow users to upload pornography or scenes of gratuitous violence have to use age assurance so that children cannot normally encounter this content.

‘The code contains a general obligation for video sharing platforms to use age verification (including age estimation) to protect minors from content that could impair the mental, moral or physical development where it is appropriate. Coimisiún na Meán determines when it is appropriate for a platform to use age verification.’

The spokesman added: ‘So to support this, officials in this department are working with the Government’s chief information officer and his office to look at practical technical solutions to age verification as part of the Government’s digital wallet being developed using MyGovID.

‘In doing so, we must seek to ensure interoperability and respect users’ rights, including data protection rights.’

He said that a pilot is envisaged but the chief information officer is leading on technical aspects.

A spokesman for the ­Department of Public Expenditure confirmed work is ongoing on an Irish EU-compatible digital wallet with a view to launching a trial version for ­public feedback before the end of the calendar year.

He added: ‘As noted by the ­Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, the current ­version of the wallet could be used as an option for age ­verification in Ireland and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer has been assisting his Department on that basis.

‘The final decision on the use of the wallet and the associated timetable will be a matter for the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport.

‘Should the national wallet be used for the purpose of age verification, the public can be assured that it will work in a zero knowledge-proof basis, i.e. providing the minimum data set needed to enable access to the service.’

*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.