Almost three-quarters (74%) of adults are in favour of a social media ban for under-16s according to Pure Telecom’s Connected Lives 2026 survey and comes as the UK this week announced plans to ban social media for under-16s.
The survey of 1,000 adults conducted by Censuswide explored Internet usage and trends in Ireland. The survey found that men were more likely than women to get behind a ban, with 78% saying they supported it, versus 69% of women. Among parents of children aged 16 and under, 80% supported a ban. This rises to 88% among parents of six-to-eight-year-olds.
While the majority approved of a ban in theory, there were significant doubts over the practicalities of such a move. Some 50% of adults believed it is impossible to stop under-16s, regardless of any ban or parental controls, from accessing social media. Furthermore, 31% said that the responsibility ultimately lay with parents, not the government. A larger proportion (39%), however, said parents need government intervention to help keep children safe.
The majority of adults also believed that social media companies themselves should bear more responsibility. Some 57% said they should be legally responsible for protecting children online.
Despite the widespread support for a social media ban for under-16s, 43% of adults admitted social media can be a positive outlet for some children. The majority (58%) said schools should be teaching children how to use social media safely, if they were not already doing so, while 44% said digital literacy would be more effective than a blanket ban.
Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “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. 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.
“Regardless of people individually, our research shows that a whole-society approach – which includes Government, teachers, parents and children – is the one that is preferred by the large majority.”
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