Students at Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in Drimnagh in Dublin have been given a lesson about Coco's Law to help them understand that they are legally accountable for their digital actions.
It is part of An Garda Síochána’s schools programme and the lesson provides a clear breakdown of the legislation, which is formally known as the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.
It criminalises the sharing of or the threatening to share intimate images without consent.
It was named after Nicole 'CoCo’ Fox from Dublin, who was relentlessly bullied both online and physically for a period of three years.
Her mother, Jackie Fox, who was at the programme's launch campaigned for a law that could hold her abusers accountable.
The law names new specific offences regarding online activity - particularly focusing on the sharing of intimate images and sending threatening or offensive communications.
It empowers students to recognise key offences and understand that they are legally accountable for their digital actions by explaining the existing legislation, facilitating discussion around respectful relationships and consent, and educating students using real life scenarios.
Ms Fox said: "With the schools that I go to it is incredible."
She said when she delivers her talks "you could hear a pin drop in the room".
She said she gets "a lot of reviews from teachers", adding "but I also get it when I'm finishing my talk, students come up".
The things, she said, they tell her are "so sad, like about how they're feeling".
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton said the programme "not only raises awareness of the legal consequences of inappropriate behaviour online, but also empowers students to make respectful, informed choices and to seek support when they need it".
"We are moving beyond 'internet safety' as a concept and into the reality of legal responsibility," An Garda Síochána's Assistant Commissioner Catherina Gunne said.
"We want to protect students from exploitation and ensure they understand that every click and share has a real-life consequence," she added.
