No evidence that social media is becoming safer, says Andrews

Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews said “there is no evidence social media is becoming safer,” in the wake of the Grok scandal. 

Speaking in Strasbourg on the annual EU Safer Internet Day, Barry Andrews MEP said, “the EU has coordinated the annual Safer Internet Day for over 20 years now in dozens of countries worldwide, but by any fair assessment is not working. The Internet is more dangerous and more damaging to kids than ever.”

“The recent Grok scandal is just the latest proof of how revolting much of the online content still is today. There is no evidence social media is becoming safer,” he said.

The Fianna Fáil MEP says he has written to the Vice President of the European Commission Henna Virkkunen, responsible for Safer Internet Day, to call for its reform.

“The first urgent change needed is for the Commission to end the association of platforms such as Twitter, Snap and TikTok which are officially ‘supporters’ of the initiative. Also in Ireland, often tech companies are involved in activities, which could be perceived as a conflict of interest in my view,” he said.

“Recent years have shown the soft approach does not work and that only strong enforcement of EU and Irish legislation will make social media safer for kids. However, it is proving extremely difficult given the structure of Internet law. Platforms are not legally liable for content on their apps. But parents cannot wait for years.”

Andrews said, “Irish groups involved in Safer Internet Day do some great work, and education is always useful, but parents need to hear the most important message, which is to delay buying a smartphone for their kids for as long as possible.”

“I applaud grassroots parents’ initiatives such as Smartphone Free Children and GenFree which support parents who choose not to buy a smartphone for their kids.

“Minister O’Donovan must introduce age verification for kids as soon as possible, using the EU Digital Wallet framework this year,” he said.