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Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Colman Noctor: Digital safety needs a village, not an app
A new study from the ESRI confirms what many of us have long suspected — that the digital world our children inhabit is complex, sometimes enriching, often overwhelming, and largely unregulated. Navigating it requires more than parental intuition; it necessitates societal scaffolding and collective action. As I have stated in this column many times before, 'technology is neither good nor bad; it's both'. The evidence-based report, titled 'The pressing need to address the challenges of parenting in a digital era', is compassionate towards parents who, for the most part, are striving to do the right thing. It avoids scaremongering and oversimplified 'screen time' mantras, instead providing a balanced view that technology can both empower and imperil a child's wellbeing, sometimes simultaneously. The study highlights the benefits of children's digital engagement, including access to information, tools for creativity, and online support communities. It recognises that the online world offers opportunities for connection to children who might otherwise be isolated, and that digital spaces can provide modes of expression and connection that face-to-face interactions may not. However, it also states that these benefits coexist with very real risks. The report also explores how gender, developmental stage, and socioeconomic context influence children's technology experiences. The socioeconomic context is particularly significant as it indicates that a child with access to supportive adults and digital literacy resources is more likely to navigate the online world in a markedly different way than a child who lacks these protective factors. The acknowledgement of the socioeconomic difference aligns with recently published research from online safety charity CyberSafeKids, which found that children from disadvantaged areas are more likely to own a smartphone at a younger age and have fewer rules governing their online activity. It found 53% of eight-year-olds attending Deis schools own a smartphone, whereas it is 22% in non-Deis schools. While I support primary schools introducing 'voluntary codes' to delay smartphone ownership, my concern is this will be limited to pockets of leafy suburbs and miss children in areas of disadvantage who may not have the resources to implement such a strategy. Parenting in a digital age The relationship with technology is complex and varies from individual to individual. For some, social media fosters connection; for others, it leads to negative comparison. Gaming can be a form of play or a spiral of compulsion. The ESRI research emphasises that context matters, which means not all interventions will apply to every child. There is no universal rulebook, nor is there a one-size-fits-all app or parental control that can replace human judgment or entirely protect a child. At the core of the ESRI research is an effort to comprehend the challenging position parents find themselves in as the 'first, last and strongest line of defence' for their children's digital safety. The research also poses an interesting question: whether parents are also casualties of the same technological tsunami. Parents are not immune to the allure of technology. Our attention is fragmented, our time is stretched, and an ever-present, pinging soundtrack of notifications now accompanies our parenting journey. In attempting to shield our children from this dynamic, we often find ourselves ensnared in a web of guilt, contradiction, and uncertainty. I consistently find myself replying 'it's a work thing', when my children cast a disapproving look in my direction while I'm on my phone or laptop, after I've just asked them to take a break from their devices. The researchers rightly argue that effective parenting in the digital age relies not on heavy-handed control, but on 'active mediation'. This approach involves discussing with our children what they see, do, and feel when online. It entails setting boundaries not merely around screen time, but also regarding screen values — what is acceptable, what is not, and why. But most of all, modelling behaviour is crucial. If we want our children to trust us when we say it's ok to unplug or that online validation isn't everything, we must embody that truth ourselves. Another refreshing insight in the ESRI report is its caution against over-reliance on tech solutions. Age filters, tracking apps, and parental control settings all have their place, but they are not a panacea, and they can also backfire. Children are savvy, and technical roadblocks can invite work-arounds or secrecy. Worse still, they can damage trust if we replace conversation with surveillance. I am not suggesting parents shouldn't utilise these tools, but we need to realise they are not a primary strategy. The real effort lies in building relationships, which requires time, energy, and emotional availability. Parents' technology use plays a role, as it can interrupt our capacity to do the relational work necessary to protect our children. The ESRI report offers a new perspective. The researchers encourage us to stop viewing online safety as solely the responsibility of parents. Instead, it reframes the issue as a public health concern. Like vaccination or mental health support, children's digital wellbeing requires coordinated, cross-sector solutions. Schools, government regulators, and tech platforms are not peripheral players; they are integral to the process, or co-guardians. Dr Celine Fox, lead author of the report, points out that our understanding of digital harm is still developing. Technologies evolve too quickly for traditional research timelines to keep pace. Fox adds that this doesn't mean we shouldn't put time and money into long-term studies, or expect transparency from the tech companies, we should. If, as parents, it feels like we're just constantly putting out fires, it's probably because we are. To protect children, we must move beyond reactive panic and use the limited information available to create proactive policies. Professor Joyce O'Connor, chair of BlockW, a Dublin-based technology and innovation hub, which commissioned the ESRI research, also calls for a shared responsibility model, where parents are supported, not left to fend for themselves on the front lines. Her words will be a welcome relief to many parents because the truth is that many of us often parent in the dark, with only the glow of a device or an online safety website to guide us. Fostering digital resilience Rather than offering glib suggestions, the ESRI research indicates we must recognise that parenting in the digital age will always involve grey areas. At times, our children may stumble before they grasp concepts. We might set boundaries only to realise they need revisiting. The conversation about online safety is never finished — it is ongoing, iterative, and dynamic. Notably, this research suggests that it may be time to abandon the myth that 'good parenting' means complete control. Instead, it's about fostering digital resilience: helping our children develop the critical thinking, emotional regulation, and moral compass to navigate the online world independently. Building this resilience involves a shift from viewing our role as protectors to that of guides. From rule-enforcer to co-explorer. From 'because I said so' to 'let's talk about why'. It also involves advocating for systems that support parents, such as demanding better regulation of digital spaces for our children, encouraging schools to partner with parents on 'no smartphone' policies, holding tech companies accountable for child safety, and lobbying for public health campaigns and legislation that treat digital wellbeing with the same seriousness as nutrition or road safety. There's no going back when it comes to technology regulation. Digital technologies are not a phase; they are an integral part of modern childhood. The question is no longer whether our children should be online, but how they can do so safely, meaningfully, and with support. Today's parents navigate unprecedented terrain where we must advise our children about a technological relationship that we also struggle with. We're not just raising children; we're helping them build an internal compass for a world that doesn't sleep, that doesn't pause, and that doesn't always care who's watching. Dr Colman Noctor is a child psychotherapist Read More
Irish Independent
18-06-2025
- Irish Independent
The Big Tech Show: When is it okay to ignore a text from your boss?
JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week's episode of The Big Tech Show. Research conducted by CyberSafeKids in 58 DEIS and non-DEIS schools found that 53% of eight-year-olds at DEIS schools own a smartphone compared to just 22% in non-DEIS schools. The study surveyed 5,000 children. The research found that 93% of eight-year-olds from DEIS schools have created a social media account, with almost a third of 8- to 12-year-olds in DEIS schools having posted videos of themselves online. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Journal
16-06-2025
- General
- The Journal
Eight-year-old schoolchildren in disadvantaged areas more than twice as likely to have a smartphone
CHILDREN ATTENDING DEIS schools are more likely to be exposed to harm online than their peers in non-Deis schools. According to newly-published research from online safety charity CyberSafeKids, children from disadvantaged areas are more likely to own a smartphone at a younger age and have less rules about online activity. The Government-funded Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (Deis) programme provides resources to schools in disadvantaged areas around the country. The research was conducted between September 2023 and February 2024, and involved 816 children aged 8-12 in 13 Deis schools, and 3,826 students in 45 non-Deis schools. It found that 53% of eight-year-olds attending Deis schools own a smartphone. For children the same age in non-Deis schools, only 22% had a smartphone. Some 46% of children in Deis schools could go online whenever they wanted compared with 31% in non-Deis schools. When looking at social media use, some 93% of eight-year-olds in Deis schools have already created a social media account, with 34% having friends and followers that they do not know. For children in non-Deis schools, these figures were 69% and 19%, respectively. Almost a third (29%) of children aged eight to 12 in Deis schools have posted videos of themselves online, in contrast to 16% of their peers who don't attend a Deis school. Advertisement Speaking on Newstalk's Pat Kenny Show this morning, CyberSafeKids CEO Alex Cooney said they were not surprised by the findings. 'We've been monitoring this over the last ten years, and we've seen that, generally speaking, there are higher levels of access in more disadvantaged communities if you compare to the general population,' Cooney said. She said that children are growing up in a digital age where society has 'established norms that children will have quite high levels of access from a young age'. 'They may have more access in those communities just because there's lower levels of parental awareness around risks, and I think we need to do a lot more to upskill all parents and make sure that there is awareness about risks that children can be exposed to in these online environments.' She also called for greater accountability from social media and tech companies 'that provide these online environments that children are going into'. 'It's not about banning children from the online world because there's lots of good things that they can be doing online, but it is about putting age appropriate access in place, putting accountability, where it needs to be upskilling parents and educating children.' Speaking to The Journal earlier this year , the Minister for Children Norma Foley said the State would not have a role in implementing any sort of smartphone ban, but she urged parents to consider it for their own homes. Last week, the Government confirmed that a tender for schools to have access to lockable phone pouches has been replaced with plans for schools to provide whatever 'phone storage solution works best for them'. The €9 million spend was among the most contentious measures announced in Budget 2025 last October . Tánaiste Simon Harris told the Dáil that this was a 'pragmatic and sensible way to proceed' and that schools would still be able to seek funding for lockable pouches or an alternative solution later this year. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Simon Harris says social media ban for under-16s under ‘serious consideration'
Simon Harris said there is a 'ticking time bomb' in relation to smartphone use for young people and has urged all political parties to work together to examine how such a ban would work in practice. Australia has recently become the first country to pass laws banning social media – including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X – for children under 16 years old. The laws will place the onus on social media platforms to implement the restrictions, using age-verification technology, or they will face fines. These will not come into effect for another 12 months, to allow policy makers to explore more deeply how they will work in practice. Mr Harris said that while there are some practical issues in implementing those measures, 'Australia deserves great credit'. Communications minister Patrick O'Donovan has asked his officials to examine the Australian rules and to look at what other jurisdictions are doing to protect children from online harms. 'This is an area that requires a lot more action,' Mr Harris told the Dáil. 'The era of self-regulation is over.' He said Ireland would 'not be brow beaten by anyone' in efforts to put 'a regulatory structure in place that protects our democracies, protects our people and most importantly protects our children. 'We are not where we need to be in relation to this. We do need to look at what other countries are doing.' There is a digital age of consent of 16 in Ireland, but Mr Harris said there are many 'workarounds' to it and that means an 'alarming' number of children are on social media well before that age. According to the Irish charity CyberSafeKids, a majority – 84pc of 12-year-olds – have their own social media accounts or instant messaging, despite a minimum age of 13 being in place on most popular apps. Almost all – 94pc of eight to 12-year-olds – own a smartphone device. 'This is a ticking time bomb. We do need to get serious in terms of empowering and supporting parents and tackling that FOMO [Fear of Missing Out] of 'I must do it because somebody my age also has a smart phone or is also on social media',' Mr Harris said. 'This is an area that we should act on. 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. He was responding to questions from Independent TD Paul Gogarty, who called for a citizens' convention on the issue. He said calls for regulation have not worked. 'We should seriously explore what they are doing in Australia, a liberal country, where the world's strictest laws on social media have been enacted,' Mr Gogarty said.
Observer
27-02-2025
- Health
- Observer
The digital conflict and empowering awareness
In today's rapidly evolving digital transformation, digital literacy and its active implementation have become crucial to counter the risks posed by digital influences on young people, psychologically, mentally, and morally. Modern societies face unprecedented challenges due to the widespread use of modern video games, digital platforms, and films that carry messages and content potentially detrimental to youth minds, even steering them towards terrorist and criminal organisations. A major risk lies in the impact of violent digital content that affects behaviour, emotions, and cognitive abilities. This situation calls for a scientifically and philosophically informed digital educational strategy aimed at empowering youth to understand and confront this reality. Digital influence comes from many sources and manifests negatively both individually and collectively. A recent international study published on The Australian website found a link between playing video games, especially those featuring 'loot boxes', and increased risks of gambling as well as related mental health issues. Researchers noted that purchasing these loot boxes can trigger anxiety, stress, depression, and impulsivity, factors common to other behavioural addictions, warning that children involved in buying them may later be prone to gambling problems. Similarly, a 2023 report by CyberSafeKids revealed that 65 per cent of Irish children aged 8 to 12 experienced external contact from strangers online, highlighting a lack of awareness and parental supervision regarding online safety. This deficiency raises the likelihood of children encountering harmful content or exploitation by dangerous groups. Digital platforms and video games have also become easily exploitable tools for terrorist and criminal organisations to recruit and indoctrinate young minds. These groups use virtual spaces to interact with youth, influencing their ideas and behaviours through targeted content or direct interactions, thus facilitating the recruitment of minors. Such phenomena require both societal awareness and effective tools to monitor and combat them. Furthermore, many young people, often referred to as the digital generation, rely on platforms like TikTok and YouTube as primary sources of information. This reliance exposes them to media misinformation and erroneous intellectual guidance. In this context, Jean Baudrillard's notion of 'virtual reality' becomes apparent, as the boundaries between truth and illusion blur, leaving youth vulnerable to both intentional and unintentional manipulation. Smart algorithms on these platforms can promote extremist content; a study by Egypt's Suez Canal University revealed that certain games and digital platforms broadcast ideas conflicting with societal and religious values. Additionally, research reported by Saudi's Al-Mowaten electronic newspaper found that about 30 per cent of children playing online games experience bullying, which increases social isolation and anxiety, weakening social bonds and making individuals more susceptible to external influences, including recruitment by criminal groups. Beyond the risks associated with video games, violent films or those depicting acts of terrorism can also instil unethical behaviours in young minds. A study published in PubMed found that excessive exposure to violent content correlates with higher rates of depression and aggressive behaviour among teenagers. Moreover, some films are indirectly used by extremist and criminal groups by portraying 'heroic' characters from their ranks to sway viewers ideologically, stimulate emotions, and redirect their thinking. Similar tactics are seen in some songs, music or religious-themed chants that hide subliminal psychological messages promoting non-religious ideologies. Many reports and studies indicate that terrorist groups recruit youth online, often using AI techniques to target those most addicted to digital platforms. In this context, the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci's ideas on 'cultural hegemony' intersect with the digital reality: the struggle to control collective consciousness is no longer limited to traditional tools but extends into virtual space, where narratives and beliefs are carefully crafted by specialised groups capable of infiltrating societies. Given this frightening scenario, it is imperative to urgently activate robust measures to confront these challenges. This starts with effective digital education, especially within families and schools, through awareness, supervision, and curricula designed to develop digital literacy and necessary defences. There is also a need to enforce digital ethics, redefining digital responsibility and its risks. Drawing on Immanuel Kant's philosophy, which emphasises duty over self-interest, governments, educational institutions, and families must work together to enhance digital awareness. Measures include restricting harmful content using AI algorithms, promoting critical education that trains youth to analyse digital content, and encouraging balanced digital usage with regulated screen time alongside cultural, social and sports programmes. Only through a threefold alliance, governments enacting strict regulations on harmful digital practices, educational institutions incorporating critical digital literacy in curricula and families raising awareness and monitoring digital activities, can the digital realm be transformed from an ideological battleground into a positive space that enriches minds and benefits both individuals and society.
