9th April 2025
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has today welcomed the publication of the Online Safety Monitor 2025, a significant new report from the Children’s Rights Alliance, which casts a stark light on the dangers facing pupils in the digital world. As a member of the Alliance, INTO strongly supports the report’s call for urgent and comprehensive action to better protect children’s rights online.
The Online Safety Monitor 2025 offers a detailed and evidence-based analysis of how online environments are failing to safeguard children and young people. It reveals that 40% of Irish children have experienced cyberbullying, while disturbing levels of exposure to harmful content such as pornography, online grooming, and violence remain unchecked. Even more concerning is that many children do not disclose these harmful experiences, with 36% reporting upsetting incidents to no one.
INTO General Secretary John Boyle said:
This report is a clear reminder of the urgent need to act. Children are spending time online every day in spaces that are not designed with their safety in mind. Teachers witness the consequences — from rising anxiety and lack of focus in class to the serious impact of online bullying. We fully support the report’s call for stronger, child-centred online safety measures and call for legislation to restrict children’s access to inappropriate online sites and content.
The report underscores the systemic failure of the online world to prioritise children’s best interests. It criticises the over-reliance on children, parents and teachers to act as frontline defenders in a space dominated by powerful tech platforms. It also warns that Ireland’s current regulatory frameworks – though improved – still fall short of adequately protecting children, with key gaps in age verification, content moderation, and platform accountability.
INTO will continue to engage with the Children’s Rights Alliance and other partners to advocate for digital environments that are safe, supportive, and empowering for all learners. We urge policymakers to treat this issue not as a matter of preference but as one of fundamental rights and child protection.