The Digital Safety Gap: Protecting Our Children Online

In this episode of Fianna Fáil: In Our Own Words, Senator Anne Rabbitte and Deputy Chap Cleere are joined by world-renowned cyberpsychologist and author of The Cyber Effect, Dr. Mary Aiken, to dive deep into the findings of the Fianna Fáil Online Safety Survey. The discussion explores the hidden pressures of "social reciprocity"—the constant digital weight of likes and unanswered messages that keeps a generation of children "always on" and sleep-deprived. Dr. Aiken explains why sleep deprivation is the common thread linking anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem in youth today. The panel also offers vital advice for parents: why confiscating a device can feel like "taking a limb" and may unintentionally isolate a child from their entire support network during a crisis. Instead of digital isolation, the conversation suggests constructive discipline and highlights the ongoing work Fianna Fáil is doing in Government to hold platforms to account and strengthen online safety across Ireland.