Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023
223. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps she is taking to protect small children from being exposed to hardcore online pornography; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51595/23]
View answerThe issue of children accessing online material that is not appropriate for them, including pornography, is a serious matter. This is why Government legislated for a new regulatory framework for online safety through the Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act.
Under the OSMR Act, a new regulator, Coimisiún na Meán was established. An Coimisiún will protect people from harmful online content and children from age-inappropriate online content, including pornographic material, through the development of binding online safety codes and online safety guidance materials. An Coimisiún expects to adopt their first online safety code in Q1 2024. It is independent in the discharge of its functions.
The EU Digital Services Act (DSA) came into force last August and has applied since then to Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines, enforced by the European Commission. From February 2024, it will apply to all platforms and Government has decided to designate Coimisiún na Meán as Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator under the DSA to monitor and enforce it in Ireland.
The DSA introduces a range of obligations including requirements for most online services to complete risk assessments in relation to the risk of exposure of their users to illegal online content and the exposure of children and young people from age-inappropriate content. These services, including services providing pornographic material, must then address this risk of exposure, including by means of age-verification or age-assurance.
More broadly at European level, in May 2022, the European Commission launched a new European Strategy for a Better Internet for Kids. This Strategy places a strong focus on providing age-appropriate online experiences, including through age verification and age-appropriate design. In order to facilitate age verification, the European Commission has committed to work with Member States and promote EU standardisation in order to strengthen effective age-verification methods. In particular, the Commission has committed to facilitating a comprehensive code of conduct on age-appropriate design by 2024 and indicated that the code could provide for age verification for accessing certain online content.
These measures will assist in keeping children safe from harmful and age- inappropriate online content, including pornography.
