05/01/2026
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A leading Wexford-based HSE psychologist says that while he is not sure that Australia’s social media ban will be effective, the health and safety of our children cannot be left in the hands of profit-making multinationals.
The country has made history, by becoming the first country in the western world to implement a social media ban for children under the age of 16.
Principal Psychologist Specialist with the HSE’s CAMHS ID service in the South East, Peadar Maxwell, believes that parents don’t need to live Australia to take control of their child’s life online.
“Some basic pointers include holding off on giving your child smart devices for as long as is practical and reasonable. Families have their own reasons to allow internet accessible devices to their children. The time to negotiate the necessary boundaries or rules regarding smart device use is before the child has one or begins to use one that has been gifted to them,” he says.
He points out that the biggest risk to children online isn’t always obvious, and sometimes parents find themselves out of the loop.
"The biggest risk to a child on social media is the unknown such as their parents not been aware of what their children are doing on their devices and who they are communicating with. Parents should show a keen curiosity about their child’s technology use. That includes who they follow, what videos they like on platforms such as Tik Tok or YouTube and who they might be messaging.
“We should never assume that a child under 16 knows how to manage their time online. Just as we protect our children in the home and when out and about in the physical world, we need to show the same caution in the virtual world.”
" I would remind people that we are talking about children and very young teens in this discussion, and their welfare cannot be left in the hands of faceless corporations who have a responsibility to their shareholders to make lots of money," he says.