Both children and parents agreed that an education focused on safeguarding has more value than a ban on social media targeting young people.
A new report published today (10 September) by Ireland’s media regulator and online safety commission Coimisiún na Meán has found that almost 70pc of children who took part in the research are of the opinion that an education in online safety is better than a social media ban.
The Online Safety and Children’s Digital Lives report examines two national surveys, one taking into account the experiences and views of children, the other exploring the sentiment held by parents and caregivers.
Nearly half of (49pc) participating parents and caregivers agreed that teaching children about online safety is preferable to banning their access to social media platforms. 43pc of parents or caregivers believe that a ban is often ineffective as children can circumvent it. 67pc of children also agreed that they have the skills to get around a ban.
A high number of parents and caregivers were also of the opinion that no social media access at all could have a positive impact on their child’s focus on their schoolwork, with 64pc sharing this belief, compared to 18pc who disagreed. They also predict improvements in mental health (67pc).
Media literacy
Older children who took part reported greater confidence in some security and trust awareness competencies than others, with confidence increasing with the age of the young person. Nearly three-quarters said that they know how to protect their devices and 33pc said they know how to access private browsing.
Less than half however, said they had the knowledge needed to confirm whether a website could be trusted. According to the research, the findings indicate that many children are uncertain about how online information and content are prioritised, with confidence in navigating competencies increasing steadily with age.
Among the issues being faced by young people online are cyberbullying, online aggression and being sent sexualised communications, an issue which increased alongside the age of the child.
Commenting on the report, Jeremy Godfrey, the executive chairperson at Coimisiún na Meán said, “This report provides important evidence on how children and young people in Ireland feel about their experiences of the internet. Crucially, this study allowed us to hear directly from children and young people and their parents or caregivers about their experiences and attitudes.
“We all agree that children deserve a safe online environment that supports their development in a variety of ways, in line with their age and evolving capacities. Our participation in the study is a clear demonstration of our commitment to ensure that audiences, especially children, can benefit from the positive aspects of media, while also being protected from potential harms.”
In a landscape where world governments are implementing bans on social media as a means of better protecting children online, France’s Constitutional Council recently blocked a proposed bill banning social media for children under the age of 15, declaring that the legislation is too broad and has the potential to infringe upon young people’s right to freedom of expression.
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