In the years since that law passed Big Tech has consistently fallen back on the defence that it is merely a hosting provider — not a publisher — and therefore cannot be held responsible for content posted on its platforms. It was certainly before the engagement-based model that has become the bedrock of how Big Tech designs and monetises its platforms. Big Tech has effectively endless resources with which to fight regulatory outcomes, as it has proven time and again. It is completely unacceptable that these platforms have profited so substantially, for so long, from products that harm children — with so little accountability. The question is no longer whether these platforms have caused harm; it is simply how long they can delay being held responsible for it.

Source: Irish Examiner March 27, 2026 15:12 UTC