IrelandData Protection Act 2018, section 31 (digital age of consent)
Data Protection Act 2018, No. 7 of 2018, s. 31
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In force since 25 May 2018.
A social media and minors rule binding private bodies.
As of 16 July 2026.
What this law does
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Sets 16 as Ireland's digital age of consent under Article 8 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the minimum age at which a child can consent to the processing of personal data in the context of an information society service offered directly to the child, including registering for a social media account. For children under 16, consent must be given or authorised by a parent or guardian. This is a data protection consent rule rather than a mandated identity verification requirement.
If you get it wrong
Private right of actionNo
Who enforces it
Enforcement body
Data Protection Commission
What it reaches
Age threshold
16
Covered services
Information society services, including social media platforms, offered directly to children in Ireland
Verification methods
Self declaration, Parental consent
When LexLint raises it
operates_social_platform
Read the law
official Act text, Irish Statute Book
Every line above is drawn from the primary source linked here, read on the date shown. This is a research summary, not legal advice.