Online safety & content laws in Ireland (2026)

Legal framework

Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (OSMR Act) + binding Online Safety Code (Oct 2024, in force 21 Jul 2025) + Irish Digital Services Act 2024 implementing EU DSA, all overseen by Coimisiún na Meán (Media Commission); EU TCOR enforced jointly by Coimisiún na Meán and An Garda Síochána.

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.

Key points: internet & online safety in Ireland

1. 01Primary statute & regulator

   The Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 was signed on 10 December 2022 and commenced 15 March 2023, dissolving the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and establishing Coimisiún na Meán as Ireland's media and online safety regulator with powers to appoint authorised officers, demand information, and impose administrative financial sanctions.

   cnam.ie gov.ie

2. 02Online Safety Code binding on VSPs

   Coimisiún na Meán adopted the finalised Online Safety Code on 21 October 2024; it fully entered into force on 21 July 2025 and binds the ten designated Ireland-headquartered video-sharing platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Udemy, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, Pinterest, Tumblr, Reddit), requiring prohibitions on cyberbullying/self-harm/eating-disorder promotion, parental controls, and effective age assurance.

   cnam.ie pinsentmasons.com rte.ie

3. 03Age verification / age assurance

   The Code mandates effective age assurance for VSPs hosting pornography or extreme/gratuitous violence; self-declaration is explicitly deemed non-effective. Acceptable methods include facial age estimation, ID document checks, or cognitive tests, with Coimisiún na Meán opening its first formal Code investigation into X on 8 September 2026 over suspected ineffective age-assurance mechanisms.

   cnam.ie biometricupdate.com biometricupdate.com

4. 04EU Digital Services Act implementation

   The Digital Services Act 2024 (Irish Act) was signed on 11 February 2024 with full enforcement from 17 February 2024, designating Coimisiún na Meán as Ireland's Digital Services Coordinator and lead competent authority, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) as competent authority for DSA Articles 30-32 (online marketplaces). Because many major platforms are Ireland-headquartered, this gives the Irish DSC an outsized EU role.

   ccpc.ie gov.ie pinsentmasons.com

5. 05Terrorist Content Online Regulation (TCOR)

   Under the EU TCOR (Regulation 2021/784) in force in Ireland, An Garda Síochána is the competent authority for issuing cross-border removal orders (hosting providers must comply within one hour), while Coimisiún na Meán (designated November 2023) determines 'exposure' under Article 5 and supervises/enforces non-compliance.

   cnam.ie garda.ie techlaw.ie

6. 06Sanctions & platform liability

   Coimisiún na Meán can impose administrative financial sanctions of up to €20 million or 10% of relevant turnover under the OSMR Act for Code breaches, with equivalent EU-level penalties available under the DSA. Senior managers can also be held individually accountable, marking the end of pure industry self-regulation.

   cnam.ie irishtimes.com

The Digital Services Act in Ireland: FAQ

Timeline of decisions

1. 21 Jan 2026Decision
   High Court grants X leave to appeal Online Safety Code ruling

   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

2. 10 Dec 2025Guidance · official
   Government unveils age-verification 'digital wallet' and under-16 push

   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)

3. 29 Jul 2025Decision
   X loses High Court challenge to Online Safety Code

   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

4. 21 Jul 2025Law · official
   Binding age-assurance rules (Part B of Online Safety Code) take effect

   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

5. 21 Oct 2024Law · official
   Coimisiún na Meán adopts Ireland's first Online Safety Code

   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

6. 17 Feb 2024Law · official
   EU Digital Services Act becomes fully enforceable in Ireland

   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)

7. 15 Sept 2023Enforcement · official
   DPC fines TikTok €345 million over children's data

   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

8. 15 Mar 2023Law · official
   OSMR Act commenced; Coimisiún na Meán established

   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

9. 10 Dec 2022Law · official
   Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 enacted

   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

10. 28 Dec 2020Law · official
    'Coco's Law' criminalises image-based abuse and online harassment

    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.

    Irish Statute Book

Sources

1. 1.cnam.ie/industry-and-professionals/codes-legislation/legislation/online-safet
2. 2.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/publications/online
3. 3.cnam.ie/coimisiun-na-mean-adopts-final-online-safety-code/
4. 4.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/ireland-online-safety-code-enters-into-force
5. 5.cnam.ie/investigation-commenced-into-x-under-online-safety-code/
6. 6.rte.ie/news/2025/0721/1524435-online-platform-verification/
7. 7.ccpc.ie/enforcement-and-regulation/digital/the-digital-services-act
8. 8.gov.ie/en/department-of-enterprise-tourism-and-employment/policy-information
9. 9.cnam.ie/industry-and-professionals/online-safety-framework/terrorist-content-
10. 10.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/general-reports/tcor-transparency-report-202
11. 11.biometricupdate.com/202410/ireland-publishes-age-assurance-rules
12. 12.biometricupdate.com/202609/irish-regulator-opens-investigation-into-xs-age-assurance-pare
13. 13.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/irish-law-enforcement-eu-digital-services-act
14. 14.techlaw.ie/2023/06/articles/online-safety/an-garda-siochana-appointed-as-a-compe
15. 15.irishtimes.com/media/2024/05/27/safety-code-for-video-platforms-targets-cyberbullyin