Majority of adults support u16 social media ban - survey

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 for Pure Telecom.

The research found that men are more likely than women to get behind a ban, with 78% of men saying they support it, versus 69% of women.

Among parents of children aged 16 and under, 80% support a ban. This rises to 88% among parents of six to eight-year-olds.

Around half of respondents said they believe it is impossible to stop under-16s, regardless of any ban or parental controls, from accessing social media.

Just over 30% believe that the responsibility ultimately lies with parents, not the Government, while 39% believe parents need Government intervention to help keep children safe.

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.

"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.