Debate contribution: Social Media: Children and Young People

Debate contribution by Mr Gerry Carroll on 10 February 2026.

MLA

Mr Gerry Carroll

Party at the time

People Before Profit Alliance

Date

10 February 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Social Media: Children and Young People

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5435950

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Social media has been largely self-regulated. In practice, that means little regulation or at least none that threatens the bottom lines of those companies, which are profit and wealth. Recommender algorithms bombard children and young people with harmful material that promotes self-harm, eating disorders and suicide, as was alluded to by the Member opposite. Our young people are being shown a relentless stream of toxic content that promotes misogyny, racism and transphobia, and social media companies keep us in the dark about the parameters of their toxic algorithms and do not even disclose that detail to the Government for scrutiny. They routinely prioritise trade secrets and commercial confidentiality over children's health and well-being. The Center for Countering Digital Hate looked at the videos that YouTube recommends to a 13-year-old Irish girl who watched one video about eating disorders. One in three future recommendations were for harmful eating disorder content. Two in three were related to eating disorders or weight loss, and one in 20 involved self-harm or suicidal content, so the algorithms are clearly a public health issue.

A study by University College London (UCL) and the University of Kent found a fourfold increase in the level of misogynistic content that TikTok suggested over a five-day period. That is pushed on our young people, because it is presumed that extreme content will keep them online and on the apps for longer. In other words, the companies are pushing extreme content at children and young people and encouraging them into screen addiction so that they can monetise them, because they see them as consumers and customers. In the Dáil, my party colleagues have introduced a Bill to tackle toxic recommender algorithms. They have had no choice but to introduce that legislation, because social media companies are failing to protect children. An outright ban is not the answer, because social media can often be a lifeline for young people, LGBTQ+ people and neurodivergent communities. Cutting them off from friends and access to vital support could leave many vulnerable people feeling disconnected. Two months into Australia's social media ban for under-16s, young people are already finding ways to circumvent the ban. They pivot to alternative apps that do not require an account and re-emerge on platforms with fake birthdays. That was all entirely predictable. As with other prohibitionist policies, consumption does not end; it is just forced underground. Young people already feel increasingly isolated, which is a problem that a ban does not and cannot address. I will move on, in the interests of time.

Will I get an extra minute?

Sorry.

Maith go leor.

We need to focus on the multinational companies and hold them to account for allowing toxic content to thrive on their platforms. They have run the show for too long. We should not blame children and young people for a system created by adults —

— who are focused on profit and wealth. I support the motion and the amendment.

492 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:52 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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