Ireland: Closed consultation on draft Online Safety Code including age verification requirement

On 19 January 2023, the Media Commission, the broadcasting regulator of Ireland, closed the public consultation on Ireland's draft Online Safety Code for video-sharing platform services. The code aims to implement Article 28b of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2018 and will impose specific rules on video-sharing platforms. The code includes provisions implementing the European Union (EU) Digital Services Act and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation. The draft outlines measures for designated platforms to protect users, especially children, from harmful content, including cyberbullying and self-harm promotion. Platforms would be required to implement age verification technology and provide tools for parents to control children's online content exposure. In case of non-compliance with the code, platforms would face fines of up to EUR 20 million.