CyberSafeKids Report Finds EU and Irish Online Safety Laws Failing

A tenth annual report from CyberSafeKids reveals that new legal obligations introduced in 2025 by the European Union and the Government of Ireland have failed to reduce the amount of harmful online content encountered by children. Surveying over 7,000 children and teens during the 2025-26 academic year, the organization found that roughly 25% of eight- to 15-year-olds reported being bothered by online contact or content, a figure that remains unchanged from the previous year.

The report highlights a dramatic increase in young teens aged 12-15 encountering sexual content, which rose from 10% to 24%, with most of this content being pushed to them. Roblox emerged as the most frequent site for negative experiences, cited by 58% of affected children. Additionally, 70% of children aged 8-12 maintain social media accounts, indicating that age assurance measures are not functioning as intended and are easily bypassed.

Chief Executive Alex Cooney warned of explosive growth in generative AI use, noting that 76% of 12-15-year-olds now use the technology while regulation has not kept pace. Cooney argued that the debate over banning under-16s from social media misses the point, as existing laws meant to protect children are going unenforced. Nicola Flannery of Deloitte Ireland LLP added that while the EU Digital Services Act and Ireland's Online Safety Code have raised the floor, regulation alone is insufficient for child safety.