Parents Outpaced by technology as Youth Workshop reveals early digital exposure
Published on: 01 December 2025
Parents Outpaced by technology as Youth Workshop reveals early digital exposure
Fianna Fáil has published the combined findings of its Parenting in the Digital Age survey and its Youth Online Safety Workshop in conjunction with Foróige and Crosscare, revealing deep concern among parents about children’s exposure to online risks, alongside new evidence showing just how young children are when they first enter the digital world.
Together, the two initiatives form a core part of Fianna Fáil’s ongoing Online Safety Campaign and underline the need for stronger protections, improved education, and updated regulation.
The 'Parenting in the Digital Age' survey of almost 1,000 participants, carried out by Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary party working group, shows that parents are struggling to keep pace with fast-changing digital technologies and the online environments their children inhabit.
Key Findings – Parenting in the Digital Age Survey
- Smartphone use: Over 35% of parents said their child received a smartphone between the ages of 11 and 13.
- Top concerns:
- Harmful content (76%)
- Inappropriate content (72%)
- Cyberbullying (56%)
- Mental health impacts (56%)
- School smartphone ban: More than 75% support a ban on smartphones in all Irish schools.
- Digital confidence gap: Only 18% feel equipped to help their child manage online risks, and fewer than 10% say they are “very confident” in understanding the online world their children inhabit.
- Lack of communication: 31% of parents never discuss social media use with their children.
- Knowledge gap: Over 20% admit they don’t understand how social media platforms work or who can see their child’s content.
- Seeking support: More than 45% have already sought resources to improve their digital-parenting skills.
Parents identified peer pressure, exposure to harmful content, social isolation, and cyberbullying as primary concerns. There was strong support for more parental education as well as tighter regulation to protect children online.
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Children, Aisling Dempsey, said the findings highlight an urgent need for action.
“Parents are clearly crying out for more support and stronger protections for their children online. These findings confirm what we’ve been hearing on the ground – families feel outpaced by technology, and they want action.”
Fianna Fáil also convened a Youth Workshop involving 23 young people aged 15–17, with participants from Foróige groups in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath, along with Crosscare. The workshop revealed that children are entering the digital world at extremely young ages and face significant exposure to harmful content.
Key Findings – Youth Online Safety Workshop
- Participants were on average 6 years old when first using a smart device; some were as young as 4.
- First smartphone use occurred on average at 7–8 years old.
- Participants spend an average of 4 hours per day on social media.
- Some teens have access to smartphones during school lunchbreaks.
- Most have a smartphone and smart TV in their bedrooms, often without parental controls.
- Young people reported exposure to:
- Violent content
- Extremist content (racism, misogyny, homophobia)
- Diet-culture and excessive-exercise content
- Incel-related content and strict gender-role (“tradwife”) material
Despite these challenges, participants noted significant positive aspects of online engagement, including learning, digital literacy, critical thinking, and online communication skills. They opposed a blanket social-media ban for under-16s but offered several suggestions to improve online safety, such as:
- A “kindness agreement” in group chats with automated detection of bullying language
- Face ID-based age verification
- Ensuring that those who bully online face real consequences
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Education and Youth, Ryan O’Meara, called the workshop “really constructive”:
“Young people clearly enjoy the online world and there are lots of benefits to it for them. Our concern is for our young people, and we want to ensure that they are not exposed whilst trying to navigate the ever-evolving online world. Alongside our Parenting in the Digital Age survey findings, there is a clear appetite from both parents and young people for stricter regulations when it comes to the online world.”
These findings will provide a springboard for future negotiations with key stakeholders to see how we can legislate effectively.
Fianna Fáil is committed to making the online world safer for everyone.
ENDS
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Ryan O'Meara ,
Aisling Dempsey
