A major step in ensuring our children are protected on the internet

IN March of this year, at a so-called ‘Open Forum’ on child protection online, the Government made clear its contempt for the very notion of imposing smartphone restrictions. Communications Minister Denis Naughten sneered that you can write hurtful things with a pen ‘but we don’t ban pens’. The Taoiseach added that water can be dangerous ‘but we don’t stop children going in the water – we teach them to swim’. As far as they were concerned, the State simply had no role in regulating or restricting the use of smartphones – despite mounting evidence of the harm they are doing to a generation of young people.

Now, however, Tánaiste Simon Coveney has given his view – and it could not be clearer. Yes, we need to educate children about dangers online; yes, we need to be careful not to make something more alluring by forbidding it; and yes, we must consult the experts. But even with all those caveats, he was clear that we also need new regulations. We DO need restrictions on when and where children can access phones, and we DO need to block certain content that could harm children.

Mr Coveney also emphasised that he was speaking not just as a TD, but as the father of three girls who are ‘addicted’ to his phone. He sees the dangers, he truly understands the problem, and he very clearly believes that education alone will not protect our children. In doing so, Mr Coveney is, of course, reflecting the views of the vast majority of parents across the country – as well as growing numbers of teachers, doctors, gardaí and even tech industry workers themselves. They all know that leaving parents to fight this battle alone is an abdication of the Government’s moral responsibility to protect our children.

And yet until now, there seemed to be a peculiar reluctance at the highest levels of Government to take the issue seriously.

This lack of interest comes despite the relentless stream of academic studies showing the harm that smartphones are doing to children: damaging their selfesteem, heightening anxiety and depression, eroding sleep, and exposing them to hardcore pornography and paedophile grooming. Mr Coveney is right to be cautious about what measures we take. It is true we should test any possible legislation and consult with experts. But the fact that the Tánaiste accepts the Government needs to take action is a hugely important statement. No longer can ministers wash their hands of this, and no longer can they pretend it’s nothing to do with them.

Hopefully his words will now lead to concrete action. Health Minister Simon Harris has also previously acknowledged the problems caused by smartphones; perhaps they can work together using public health legislation to start bringing about the child protection laws for which parents are crying out.

For today, though, those parents will simply be delighted that such a prominent public figure is championing their cause – for the sake of all our children.