FF 'focused on protecting young people on social media as a top priority' – Troy

Local Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy has said that the party has committed to protecting young people online as a top priority.

Deputy Troy was speaking after a recent RTÉ Primetime programme and research from DCU showed social media algorithms increasingly expose young people to “toxic” content on platforms such as TikTok.

Deputy Troy said: “Parents right across the country are increasingly worried about the impact on children of social media and being constantly online. Research and documentaries such as the recent RTÉ Primetime programme clearly show mental health, educational and social damage to many children. However, parents and schools struggle to know what to do to help.

“Fianna Fáil, as the party that holds the Health and Education portfolios, has committed to preparing a joint initiative on online safety for children. We must provide clear and accessible guidance to parents on what to do concerning children and the online world.

“Not only will we give schools funding to support the banning of smartphone use during school time, but we will also be impressing the need on social media companies to get underage children off their apps and enforcing those steps if these companies do not.

“Online safety and getting children off their screens, away from toxic content and back talking to each other is an objective we should all share across society and is a top priority for Fianna Fáil in government.”