Internet & Online Safety · Ireland
Online safety in Ireland: the EU Digital Services Act (2026)
Ireland shaded by its internet & online safety status
Online safety rules in Ireland: comprehensive law, under Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (OSMR Act) and the binding Online Safety Code (2024), enforced by Coimisiún na Meán (Media Commission), which also acts as Ireland's EU Digital Services Coordinator under the Digital Services Act (implemented nationally by the Digital Services Act 2024)..
Ireland has a comprehensive online-safety regime built on the OSMR Act 2022, which dissolved the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and created Coimisiún na Meán with an Online Safety Commissioner empowered to issue binding codes. Its first Online Safety Code (adopted October 2024) imposes enforceable obligations on designated video-sharing platforms headquartered in Ireland, layered on top of the directly-applicable EU Digital Services Act, for which Coimisiún na Meán is the national Digital Services Coordinator. Because most major platforms have their EU base in Ireland, the regulator has an EU-wide significance.
The Digital Services Act in Ireland
In Ireland, online platforms and intermediaries are governed by the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), a directly-applicable regulation covering illegal content, transparency and user protection.
- Framework
- the EU Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065)
- Approach
- notice-and-action on illegal content, transparency reporting, clear terms, and protection of minors
- Applies to
- online intermediaries, hosting services and platforms offering services to users in Ireland, wherever established
- Very large platforms
- platforms and search engines with 45M+ EU users face extra systemic-risk audits, overseen by the European Commission
- Maximum fine
- up to 6% of global annual turnover
- Oversight
- the national Digital Services Coordinator, plus the European Commission for very large platforms
The DSA is an EU regulation applied directly in Ireland; the national Digital Services Coordinator handles day-to-day supervision.
The Digital Services Act in Ireland: FAQ
Yes. As an EU member, Ireland is covered by the EU Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065), which applies directly.
Notice-and-action mechanisms for illegal content, transparency reporting, clear terms of service, and measures to protect minors.
The national Digital Services Coordinator, with the European Commission supervising very large online platforms and search engines.
Up to 6% of a provider's global annual turnover for serious breaches.
Key points
The Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 was signed into law on 10 December 2022 and commenced 15 March 2023, establishing Coimisiún na Meán and an Online Safety Commissioner with powers to make binding online safety codes for designated services.
Coimisiún na Meán adopted its final Online Safety Code on 21 October 2024, setting binding rules for video-sharing platforms with their EU HQ in Ireland (including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr and Udemy). Part A applied from 18 November 2024 and the more detailed Part B from 21 July 2025.
From 21 July 2025, platforms carrying pornographic or extremely violent content must apply effective age assurance to keep such content from minors; the Code does not mandate a specific technology but states that age checks based solely on user self-declaration are not effective.
The Code prohibits hosting/sharing harmful content (cyberbullying, promotion of self-harm, suicide and eating disorders, incitement to hatred or violence, terrorism and child sexual abuse material) and provides for penalties of up to €20 million or 10% of annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland's designated Digital Services Coordinator and lead competent authority for the EU DSA, with powers of investigation, fines, compliance notices, trusted-flagger and researcher vetting; the Digital Services Act 2024 (Irish implementing statute) was signed into law in February 2024, with the CCPC competent for online-marketplace provisions.
In July 2025 Coimisiún na Meán contacted and warned X over age-verification for adult content and signalled it would prosecute non-compliance; the High Court dismissed X's legal challenge to the Online Safety Code on 29 July 2025, upholding the regime.
Timeline - major decisions & events
X (formerly Twitter) was permitted to appeal the High Court's July 2025 dismissal of its challenge to Coimisiún na Meán's Online Safety Code, signalling continued legal contestation of Ireland's video-sharing platform rules.
Irish Times ↗Minister O'Donovan updated Government on plans to make age checks via a State-backed digital wallet (built on MyGovID/EUDI Wallet) and to pursue social-media restrictions for under-16s, making child online safety a priority ahead of Ireland's 2026 EU Council presidency.
Gov.ie (Dept. of Culture, Communications & Sport) ↗The High Court dismissed X's claim of 'regulatory overreach', ruling that Coimisiún na Meán acted within its powers and that the Code's content and age-assurance rules were proportionate to protecting children online.
RTÉ ↗The detailed provisions of the Online Safety Code came into force, requiring video-sharing platforms that allow pornography or extreme content to use effective age assurance, self-declaration alone is deemed insufficient, under threat of fines up to €20m or 10% of turnover.
Coimisiún na Meán ↗The regulator finalised binding rules for Ireland-based video-sharing platforms (incl. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X), ending an era of social-media self-regulation and requiring measures against cyberbullying, self-harm promotion, terrorism and CSAM.
Coimisiún na Meán ↗Following the Digital Services Act 2024 and its commencement order, Coimisiún na Meán was designated Ireland's Digital Services Coordinator, a pivotal role given that many major platforms have their EU headquarters in Dublin.
Gov.ie (Dept. of Enterprise) ↗The Data Protection Commission penalised TikTok for GDPR breaches in default-public settings and 'family pairing' for minors, its largest children's-privacy fine and a landmark in Ireland's role policing platform handling of young users.
Data Protection Commission ↗The Act was commenced, dissolving the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and formally creating Coimisiún na Meán as the national media regulator with an Online Safety Commissioner, the institutional foundation of Ireland's current online-safety regime.
Coimisiún na Meán ↗Signed into law, the Act overhauled the Broadcasting Act 2009, transposed the revised EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, and created the legal framework for binding online safety codes and a new media commission.
Irish Statute Book ↗The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 was signed into law (commenced 10 Feb 2021), making it a crime to share or threaten to share intimate images without consent and to send grossly offensive online communications, Ireland's first dedicated online-harm criminal statute.
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