Safer Internet Day Highlights AI Risks and Online Safety for Young People

Dublin: Safer Internet Day is being marked in Ireland and worldwide with a renewed focus on the risks and harms artificial intelligence can pose to children and young people. This year’s theme, “AI Aware: Safe, Smart and in Control”, encourages families, educators and policymakers to examine how AI is shaping young people’s digital lives.

Research from University College Dublin indicates that while young people remain cautious and sceptical about AI, many accept privacy trade-offs and increasingly depend on the technology despite being aware of its potential misuse.

Key discussions during Safer Internet Day 2026 will centre on emerging risks, the need to make generative AI tools safe and age-appropriate, and the opportunities AI may offer in supporting learning and creativity. An expert panel, including Irish and European specialists and members of the Webwise Youth Advisory Panel, will address these issues at an event hosted by the Department of Justice.

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton stressed the importance of equipping young people with digital literacy and critical thinking skills to safely navigate AI-generated content and protect their privacy.

The event is organised by the Irish Safer Internet Centre and will also feature remarks from Online Safety Commissioner Niamh Hodnett, who described the focus on AI as both timely and essential.

Meanwhile, new research from CyberSafeKids has raised concerns about underage access to social media, limited parental oversight and the risks of image-sharing online. The charity warned that emerging AI tools, including image manipulation and “nudification” apps, could significantly increase risks for children.

Separately, the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence will hold a hearing on the impact of AI on the media, addressing challenges such as misinformation, deepfakes, copyright issues and the growing pressure on public trust in journalism.

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