As he launched the establishment of a new Online Safety Taskforce, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that parents are not fully aware of the “mental and physical injuries” that are being inflicted on children on social media platforms.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said that asking social media companies to protect children online is akin to “asking the tobacco industry to do the right thing”.
The task force will examine the “range of social, mental health, physical health and sexual health harms being caused to young people by certain types of online behaviours and content” on online platforms and recommend responses to these issues. Minister Donnelly stated that social media companies can no longer be trusted to remove harmful content.
“The partnership approach is over. I wouldn't suggest a partnership approach with tobacco companies. I'm not suggesting a partnership approach with online platforms. We tried that. It didn't work. I'm suggesting a public health-led approach that says ‘it is our obligation to keep children safe’.” He suggested that while parents will always want to do right by their kids, they are not always aware that their youngsters are being exposed to “violence against women, sexual violence against women, male supremacy, the extent of the harm, physical harms, mental harms”.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Quarter of primary school children affected by harmful online content, report findsOnline safety charity says there is ‘vital need’ for online safety education in schools
Read more »
Pharmacists to prescribe presciption-only medications for common conditions under new schemeMinister for Health Stephen Donnelly intends to have scheme in place by ‘early next year’
Read more »
Health service research group handed €25m to help shape clinical guidelinesHigh-quality information ‘more important than ever’, says Stephen Donnelly
Read more »
Former Ryanair executive to be appointed to HSE boardMinister for Health Stephen Donnelly seeks to improve productivity in the service
Read more »
Online platforms are harming children in ‘really sinister, dark ways’, says DonnellyOnline platforms are harming children in ‘really sinister, dark ways’, says Stephen Donnelly as online health taskforce is announced
Read more »
Taoiseach promises to hit social media companies ‘where it hurts’ if online safety is not improvedThe Taoiseach has vowed to hit social media companies “where it hurts” if they do not comply with Ireland’s online safety regulations.
Read more »