Almost three-quarters of Irish adults are in favour of a social media ban for under-16s, according to new research.
The survey of 1,000 people was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, reports RTE.
The research found that men are more likely than women to support a ban, with 78% of men in favour compared to 69% of women.
Among parents of children aged 16 and under, 80% support a ban, rising to 88% among parents of six to eight-year-olds, reports RTE.
Around half of respondents said they believe it is impossible to stop under-16s from accessing social media regardless of any ban or parental controls.
Just over 30% believe responsibility ultimately lies with parents rather than the Government, while 39% believe parents need government intervention to help keep children safe, reports RTE.
The majority of respondents said they believe social media companies should bear more responsibility, with 57% saying they should be legally responsible for protecting children online.
“Our research shows that this is a topic that adults in Ireland care deeply about, but there are mixed opinions on whether an outright ban can be effective, or if it is enough on its own,” said Pure Telecom Chief Executive Paul Connell, reports RTE.
“For example, 18-to-24-year-olds are the least likely age group to support a ban, but the most likely to advocate for social media safety to be taught in schools.”
“Older adults, meanwhile, are more likely to support a ban and less likely to call for schools to be involved,” Mr Connell said, reports RTE.
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