Almost three in four Irish adults are in favour of a social media ban for under-16s, a poll says.Among parents of children aged 16 and under, the number in support of a ban rises to 80 per cent. It increases to 88 per cent among parents of six-to-eight-year-olds.The research was commissioned by Irish-owned telecoms provider Pure Telecom and carried out by Censuswide among a sample of 1,000 Irish adults last month. British prime minister Keir Starmer has announced under-16s in the UK will be banned from accessing social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram and X amid sweeping restrictions.Starmer said teenagers would be banned from all the main social platforms. Online products not covered by the ban – such as gaming apps – are to face new restrictions such as blocking the option to chat to strangers.He said a full ban was “the right choice”, but “not something I do lightly”. There will also be restrictions for teenagers up to the age of 18 that prevent “scrolling” late at night.While 74 per cent of Irish adults support a similar ban, there are significant doubts over the practicalities of such a move. Half of adults believe it is impossible to stop under-16s, regardless of any ban or parental controls, from accessing social media.Almost one in three believe the responsibility ultimately lies with parents, not the Government. However, 39 per cent believe parents need Government intervention to “help keep children safe”.Most adults also believe social media companies should bear more responsibility. In all, 57 per cent say the firms should be legally responsible for protecting children online.At the same time, 43 per cent of adults believe social media can be a positive outlet for some children, while many believe education must be a part of the solution. Almost six out of 10 adults say schools should be teaching children how to use social media safely, if they are not already doing so, while 44 per cent believe digital literacy would be more effective than a blanket ban.“Our research shows this is a topic that adults in Ireland care deeply about, but there are mixed opinions on whether an outright ban can be effective or if it is enough on its own,” Pure Telecom chief executive Paul Connell said. “For example, 18 to 24-year-olds are the least likely age group to support a ban, but the most likely to advocate for social media safety to be taught in schools. Older adults, meanwhile, are more likely to support a ban and less likely to call for schools to be involved.”However, he said, “our research shows that a whole-society approach – which includes Government, teachers, parents and children – is the one that is preferred by the large majority”.