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CnaM plans support initiative for children

The media regulator Coimisiún na Meán (CnaM) has published its first strategy statement, along with a work programme for 2025.

Its priorities for this year include a pilot programme aimed at providing support for children who are at imminent risk of harm from online content.

The document says that this initiative will feed into the consideration of a wider individual-complaints mechanism.

CnaM also notes that further protections for children under its Online Safety Code come into effect in July – including restricting harmful content such as cyber-bullying, promotion of self-harm or suicide, the promotion of eating or feeding disorders, and dangerous challenges.

Election moratorium

The regulator also plans to develop and implement an ‘electoral-integrity strategy’ across all media sources this year, while it will also review the impact of changes to the broadcast moratorium for election coverage.

CnaM’s strategy statement covers the period up to 2027 and covers six key areas of the media landscape:

• Upholding the rights, wellbeing and development of children,
• Supporting democracy and democratic values,
• A media landscape that consumers can trust, and where they are protected from exploitation and fraud,
• Irish culture and media,
• Diversity and inclusion, and
• Public safety.

‘‘Our six outcomes are ambitious and reflect our commitment to the regulation, support, and development of a media landscape that underpins fundamental rights and fosters an open, democratic, and pluralistic society,” said Jeremy Godfrey (executive chair).