Gen Free: Free to be Kids

Campaigning to make the online world safe for children

Our campaign demands that tech companies be required by law to make the online world safe for children.

Join us in taking action:

Sign & share this PETITION (https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/gen-free-free-to-be-kids)
Contact your TDs & Ministers demanding action
To make this as easy as possible, we have drafted a template email which you can copy, paste and send. If you live in the Wicklow constituency click HERE. For all other constituencies, click HERE.

What is this campaign about (and not about)?

Our campaign is focused on holding tech companies accountable for implementing child protection measures, and thus easing the pressure on parents, schools, youth workers, children and young people.

This campaign is not about banning smart-devices for children (although we are proud to align ourselves with initiatives who recommend delaying access to them, such as https://smartphonefree.ie/ ).

We are requesting that the laws that protect children from harm in the physical world be extended and applied to the digital world. This is the only way to effectively safeguard all children and young people under the age of 18, regardless of how or whether they access the internet or use smart-devices.

There are three strands to our campaign proposal: 1) regulation, 2) education and 3) supports. Read our ‘Proposal’ page HERE for further details.

Why is this campaign needed?

We are in the midst of a youth mental health & wellbeing crisis. The evidence regarding the detrimental impact of unregulated access to the internet and social media on our children and young people is overwhelming. This is a major societal challenge and requires leadership and political will to address.

Click HERE to read more about the evidence of harm.

We also recommend reading ‘Left to their own Devices: The Virtually Unprotected Lives of Kids in Ireland’ the CybersafeKids 2023-2024 Trends & Usage Report here: https://www.cybersafekids.ie/report2024/.

Make your voice heard. TAKE ACTION now.

“Someone on Roblox kept asking me weird questions so I left”

Girl, aged 10

“I accidentally saw a porn website”

Aged 14

“On WhatsApp my cousin added her friend even though I told her not to and she called me ugly”