#756 In the Name of Pride, Does Anything Go in Children's Books?

Should parents be expected to know everything their children are reading, or do organisations promoting books to young people have a responsibility too?On this episode of The Niall Boylan Podcast, Niall is joined by journalist and reporter Ben Scallan and social commentator Karl Deeter to discuss a growing controversy involving Children's Minister Norma Foley and RTÉ.The debate erupted after RTÉ promoted a book aimed at 15-year-olds which contained information about explicit sexual activities, including anal sex, the use of lubricants and other adult sexual content. When questioned by Ben Scallan, Minister Foley refused to condemn RTÉ's recommendation or agree that the material was inappropriate, insisting that it is ultimately up to parents to know what their children are reading.But is that a realistic expectation in today's world? Should parents be monitoring every book, website and piece of content their teenagers consume? Or does a state broadcaster have a duty to ensure the material it recommends to young audiences is age appropriate?Niall, Ben and Karl debate where responsibility lies, whether parents are being unfairly blamed, and if RTÉ should be held accountable for promoting content that many parents would consider unsuitable for children.Listen now and decide for yourself: who should be responsible for protecting children from inappropriate content, parents, broadcasters, or both?