In a move to tackle harmful content, Ireland's media and internet watchdog, Coimisiún na Meán, has introduced a new Online Safety Code that will apply to video-sharing platforms headquartered in the country, including TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook Reels. The code, which comes into effect next month, prohibits the upload and sharing of harmful content, including cyberbullying, self-harm, and racism.

The code is a significant development in the country's Online Safety Framework, which aims to ensure digital services are accountable for protecting users from online harm. It goes beyond the European Union's Digital Services Act, focusing on harmful content that is not necessarily illegal.

Under the code, platforms must have terms and conditions that ban harmful content, and users can report harmful content, which platforms must then remove. The code also requires age assurance measures for pornographic content and user-friendly content rating systems.

While the code only applies to video services provided to users in Ireland, tech firms may choose to apply the same measures across the EU to avoid inconsistencies in content standards. The move is seen as a significant step towards regulating online content and protecting users, particularly children, from harmful material.