By Cate McCurry, PA
The time of asking or expecting online companies to do the right thing and remove harmful content “is over”, the Minister for Health said as he pledged to take a tougher stance on dealing with online platforms.
Stephen Donnelly said the partnership approach between government and social media companies has not worked in the past, comparing it to asking a “tobacco company” to do the right thing.
He made the comments as he announced the Government is establishing an online health taskforce, to develop a public health response to the harms caused to children and young people by online activity.
Mr Donnelly said it has been set up in recognition of research and evidence showing the link between online and physical and mental health harms.
Mr Donnelly said Snapchat and TikTok are a “big target” in promoting harmful content.
He also said harmful content is not limited to social media sites, and is also shared on popular games like Roblox and online chat rooms.
“I think the time of asking or expecting online platforms to do the right thing is over. Some of them have taken measures. Many of them have not." Mr Donnelly said.
“We’re all aware of platforms where they’ve been asked to take down horrific content and refuse to do so. I think the partnership approach is over."
“I wouldn’t suggest a partnership approach with tobacco companies. I’m not suggesting the partnership approach with online platforms, We have tried that and it didn’t work.
“I’m suggesting a public health led approach that says our obligation is to keep children safe, and we’re going to do that.
“We have legislation do it already, and if we need that legislation strengthened, so be it.”
He said children are not safe online, adding that online activities, features and content directed at children are harming them.
“Most of us are aware that children are being bullied online,” he added.
“Our mental health teams, our community workers, our GPs, our teachers, our emergency department teams and parents, they are seeing children with mental and physical injuries as a direct result of these online platforms.
“They are telling us that this is happening at scale and that it is getting worse.”
“In parallel with these legislative and enforcement efforts, I’m launching a comprehensive public health approach to online safety for children and young people. I’m allocating a million euro annually for national awareness campaigns. These are aimed at young people and parents and guardians to increase knowledge about the harms that are being caused and what parents and guardians can do to keep people and young people safe, and indeed, what young people themselves can do.”
The Department of Health is also allocating additional recurrent funding to CyberSafe Kids.
The taskforce will provide a detailed description of the range of social, mental, physical and sexual health harms being caused to young people as well as providing a clear understanding of the sources of these harms.
It will also include social media companies and online platforms.
Jillian van Turnhout, chair of the taskforce, said: “We will have a series of consultations with children and young people because I do believe that when we talk to children and young people, we will see that they, too, want to join with us in taking this action."
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