Taoiseach Micheál Martin has declined to immediately back calls for a social media ban on under-16s, saying the Government intends to review how a similar ban unfolds in Australia. Mr Martin was speaking to the Irish Examiner on Saturday after the European Commission accused TikTok of using addictive features such as “infinite scrolling” and push notifications to keep users engaged for hours. Asked whether the European Commission’s finding against TikTok strengthened the case for a social media ban for under-16s, the Taoiseach said his Government is monitoring the situation. “The first thing is that the conclusions of the European Commission are very serious, these are interim conclusions, so the investigation continues,” Mr Martin said. Asked whether he would back the Tánaiste’s call for a social media ban on under-16s, Mr Martin again declined to commit to a ban.

Source: Irish Examiner February 07, 2026 22:54 UTC