{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/b2fb5f0b-0ce7-4e5c-b6e0-9b1febd06aea/693ae09a40eb0cbb2a133a27?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Will Australia’s social media ban for children come to Ireland?","description":"<p>This week, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/australia/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Australia</a> became the first country in the world to impose a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/world/australia/2025/12/10/social-media-ban-for-children-aged-under-16-begins-in-australia/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">social media ban</a> for children aged 16 and under.</p><p><br></p><p>Welcomed by parents there but criticised by big tech and some free-speech advocates, the ban will see companies such as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/facebook/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/instagram/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/tiktok/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">TikTok</a> face massive fines if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the social media accounts of Australian children. And to stop children getting such accounts in the first place.</p><p><br></p><p>Ireland is also taking steps to make children safer online, with a Government push to design a digital wallet linked to social security numbers as proof of age. And the Department of Health’s online safety taskforce will also lay out its proposals today.</p><p><br></p><p>Irish Times Political Correspondent <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/author/ellen-coyne/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Ellen Coyne</a> explains the Government’s advanced plans to protect children from accessing harmful material online.</p><p><br></p><p>Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair.</p>","author_name":"The Irish Times"}