The Graduated Freedom Model

Teaching Digital Literacy Through Progressive Trust, Not Just Blocking

February 2026

Executive Summary

A major criticism of internet filtering is that it creates a "cliff edge" at 18 - children go from heavily filtered to completely unfiltered overnight, with no preparation. The Graduated Freedom Model addresses this by replacing rigid age brackets with a progressive trust system where children earn expanded access over time through demonstrated responsible use, guided by their parents.

The philosophy: DNS filtering should not just block harmful content. It should be a tool for teaching children how to navigate the internet safely and make good decisions.

1. The Problem with Fixed Age Brackets

1.1 Current Approach (Rigid Presets)

Age 7:  ████████████████████████████████ Strict filtering
Age 8:  ████████████████████████████████ Strict filtering
Age 9:  ████████████████████████████████ (nothing changes)
Age 10: ████████████████████████████████ (nothing changes)
Age 11: ████████████████████████████████ (nothing changes)
Age 12: ████████████████████████████████ Standard filtering <- Sudden change
Age 13: ████████████                     Light filtering    <- Sudden change
...
Age 17: ████████████                     Light filtering
Age 18: □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□ NOTHING <- Cliff edge

Problems:

No gradual progression - changes are abrupt
No reward for responsible behaviour
No learning process - child goes from "blocked" to "allowed" without understanding why
Parents have no structured way to gradually expand access
The 18th birthday cliff edge leaves young adults unprepared

1.2 What Research Says

Finding	Source
Children who learn digital literacy skills gradually have better online safety outcomes	EU Kids Online
Abrupt removal of controls correlates with increased risky behaviour	Oxford Internet Institute
Parental mediation (discussing internet use) is more effective long-term than restriction alone	LSE Department of Media and Communications
Children who participate in setting their own boundaries develop better self-regulation	American Psychological Association

2. The Graduated Freedom Model

2.1 Core Concept

Instead of fixed age brackets, the system offers a trust progression where children move through levels based on:

Age - baseline starting point
Time - consistent use without bypass attempts
Parental decision - parent approves each "level up"
Demonstrated responsibility - absence of bypass attempts, engagement with guidance

2.2 The Five Levels

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|  GRADUATED FREEDOM LEVELS                                       |
|                                                                 |
|  LEVEL 1: SAFE HARBOUR (Typical age: Under 8)                  |
|  +-- Approved sites only (whitelist mode)                       |
|  +-- Educational content, kids' apps, approved games            |
|  +-- No social media, no general browsing                       |
|  +-- "The internet is a place you explore with a grown-up"      |
|                                                                 |
|  LEVEL 2: GUIDED EXPLORER (Typical age: 8-10)                  |
|  +-- Open browsing with comprehensive category blocking         |
|  +-- Blocked: Adult, violence, gambling, drugs, self-harm       |
|  +-- Blocked: Social media, dating                              |
|  +-- Allowed: Educational, reference, age-appropriate games     |
|  +-- "You can explore, but some areas aren't for kids yet"      |
|                                                                 |
|  LEVEL 3: INDEPENDENT LEARNER (Typical age: 10-13)             |
|  +-- Broader access with core safety categories blocked         |
|  +-- Blocked: Adult, gambling, drugs, self-harm                 |
|  +-- Blocked by default: Social media                           |
|  +-- Allowed: YouTube, streaming, most gaming                   |
|  +-- "You're learning to make good choices online"              |
|                                                                 |
|  LEVEL 4: TRUSTED TEEN (Typical age: 13-15)                    |
|  +-- Restricted social media pathway (parent approval required) |
|  +-- Blocked: Pornography, gambling, self-harm, malware         |
|  +-- Social media: time-capped + monitored where enabled        |
|  +-- Allowed: most other non-harm categories                    |
|  +-- "Trust grows with safeguards before full opening at 16."  |
|                                                                 |
|  LEVEL 5: NEAR-ADULT (Typical age: 16-18)                      |
|  +-- Social media allowed by default                            |
|  +-- Blocked: pornography, gambling, self-harm, malware         |
|  +-- Optional transition to malware/phishing-only by 17-18      |
|  +-- Optional: Parent can still see activity summary            |
|  +-- "You're nearly an adult. Make wise choices."              |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

2.3 Level-Up Process

Parents initiate "level-ups" through the SafeFamily app:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|  SafeFamily App - Level Up Request                              |
|                                                                 |
|  Emma is currently at Level 2 (Guided Explorer)                |
|                                                                 |
|  Ready for Level 3? Here's what changes:                        |
|                                                                 |
|  NEW ACCESS:                                                    |
|  ✅ YouTube (full, not just Kids)                               |
|  ✅ General gaming sites                                        |
|  ✅ Streaming services                                          |
|                                                                 |
|  STILL BLOCKED BY DEFAULT:                                      |
|  🚫 Social media (unless parent enables restricted access)      |
|  🚫 Adult content                                              |
|  🚫 Gambling                                                   |
|  🚫 Self-harm content                                          |
|  🚫 Drug promotion                                             |
|                                                                 |
|  SUGGESTED CONVERSATION:                                        |
|  "Emma, we're giving you more internet freedom because          |
|   we trust you. Social media is still restricted for now,       |
|   and we'll open it step-by-step as you show readiness."        |
|                                                                 |
|  📋 Digital Citizenship Checklist:                              |
|  □ Discussed social media safety                                |
|  □ Reviewed privacy settings together                           |
|  □ Set agreed usage expectations                                |
|  □ Emma knows how to report something upsetting                 |
|                                                                 |
|  [Promote to Level 3]  [Not yet - stay at Level 2]            |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

3. Key Features

3.1 Conversation Starters

Each level-up includes age-appropriate conversation guides for parents:

Level Transition	Conversation Topic	Key Message
1 -> 2	"The internet is bigger than you think"	Not all websites are for kids; that's OK
2 -> 3	"Readiness before social media"	Social media is still blocked by default; build habits first
3 -> 4	"Trust and responsibility"	Social media can be enabled only with parent approval and clear limits
4 -> 5	"Being a digital adult"	Soon you'll be making all these decisions yourself

3.2 Emergency/Crisis Content: Always Accessible

Regardless of filtering level, the following are NEVER blocked:

Service	Why
Childline (childline.ie, 1800 66 66 66)	Child's own crisis support
Pieta House (pieta.ie)	Suicide and self-harm support
Samaritans (samaritans.org, 116 123)	Emotional support
Women's Aid (womensaid.ie)	Domestic abuse
HSE mental health (yourmentalhealth.ie)	Mental health resources
Gardaí (garda.ie)	Law enforcement
Tusla (tusla.ie)	Child and family agency
BeLonG To (belongto.org)	LGBTQ+ youth support
Jigsaw (jigsaw.ie)	Youth mental health
SpunOut (spunout.ie)	Youth information

Implementation:

# Crisis whitelist - NEVER filtered at any level
CRISIS_WHITELIST = [
    "childline.ie",
    "pieta.ie",
    "samaritans.org",
    "womensaid.ie",
    "yourmentalhealth.ie",
    "garda.ie",
    "tusla.ie",
    "belongto.org",
    "jigsaw.ie",
    "spunout.ie",
    "ispcc.ie",
    # International crisis services
    "childline.org.uk",
    "kidshelp.com.au",
    "crisistextline.org",
    # Add full list per Coimisiún na Meán
]

# These domains bypass ALL filtering, at ALL levels
# They are hardcoded and cannot be blocked even by parent override

This matters for both child safety and for countering the argument that filtering prevents children from accessing help when they need it.

3.3 "Ask to Access" Feature

At any level, a child can request access to a blocked site:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|  BLOCKED SITE - REQUEST ACCESS                                  |
|                                                                 |
|  +---------------------------------------------------------+   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  |  This site is currently restricted.                      |   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  |  coolmathgames.com                                       |   |
|  |  Category: Gaming                                        |   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  |  Would you like to ask your parent to allow this site?   |   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  |  [Ask Mum/Dad]           [Go Back]                       |   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  +---------------------------------------------------------+   |
|                                                                 |
|  Parent's phone receives:                                       |
|  +---------------------------------------------------------+   |
|  |  🔔 Emma is asking to access: coolmathgames.com         |   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  |  Category: Gaming (Educational Games)                    |   |
|  |  Our assessment: Low risk - educational maths games      |   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  |  [Allow Once] [Allow Always] [Deny] [View Site First]   |   |
|  |                                                          |   |
|  +---------------------------------------------------------+   |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

3.4 Temporary Access Passes

Parents can grant temporary expanded access for specific situations:

Pass Type	Use Case	Duration
Homework Pass	"I need to research this topic"	1-4 hours, specific categories unblocked
Weekend Pass	"Can I use YouTube this weekend?"	1-2 days, specific sites allowed
Sleepover Pass	"I need different settings at friend's house"	Timed access changes
Project Pass	"School project needs social media research"	Custom duration, specific sites

4. Addressing the Cliff Edge

4.1 The 16-18 Transition

Level 5 (Near-Adult) is designed to be a training wheels off phase:

Level 5 Features:
+-- Only malware/phishing blocked (no content filtering)
+-- Parent can see weekly summary (not real-time)
+-- Focus shifts from blocking to monitoring
+-- Parent receives monthly "digital wellness" summary
+-- At 18: Filtering is removed entirely (or parent can keep malware protection)

The transition at 18:
+-- No abrupt change (child was already at Level 5)
+-- Only difference: malware protection becomes optional
+-- Parent app shows: "Emma is now 18. Managing her own online safety."
+-- Optional: Keep malware/phishing protection as a service

4.2 The 18th Birthday

Rather than an abrupt cutoff, the system sends the young adult a message:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|  Happy 18th Birthday, Emma!                                      |
|                                                                 |
|  You're now an adult, and your internet filtering has been      |
|  removed. Here are some tips for staying safe online:           |
|                                                                 |
|  ✅ Keep your devices updated                                    |
|  ✅ Use strong, unique passwords                                 |
|  ✅ Be cautious with personal information                        |
|  ✅ Know how to report harmful content                           |
|  ✅ Malware protection is still available if you want it         |
|                                                                 |
|  Resources:                                                     |
|  - webwise.ie - Internet safety advice                          |
|  - safefamily.ie/adults - Security tips                        |
|  - yourmentalhealth.ie - Always available                       |
|                                                                 |
|  [Keep malware protection (free)]  [Remove all filtering]       |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

5. Implementation in DNS Filtering

5.1 Level-to-Policy Mapping

Each graduated freedom level maps to a DNS filtering policy:

levels:
  level_1_safe_harbour:
    mode: whitelist  # Only approved domains accessible
    allowed_categories:
      - educational
      - kids_entertainment
      - approved_apps
    blocked: everything_else
    crisis_whitelist: always_accessible

  level_2_guided_explorer:
    mode: blocklist  # Everything except blocked categories
    blocked_categories:
      - adult
      - violence
      - gambling
      - drugs
      - self_harm
      - social_media
      - dating
      - proxy_avoidance
      - malware
    crisis_whitelist: always_accessible

  level_3_independent_learner:
    mode: blocklist
    blocked_categories:
      - adult
      - gambling
      - drugs
      - self_harm
      - dating
      - proxy_avoidance
      - malware
    blocked_categories_plus:
      - social_media
    monitored_categories:
      - gaming
      - streaming
    crisis_whitelist: always_accessible

  level_4_trusted_teen:
    mode: blocklist
    blocked_categories:
      - adult
      - gambling
      - self_harm
      - malware
    restricted_categories:
      - social_media
    crisis_whitelist: always_accessible

  level_5_near_adult:
    mode: reduced_protection
    blocked_categories:
      - adult
      - gambling
      - self_harm
      - malware
    monitored_categories:
      - social_media
    crisis_whitelist: always_accessible

5.2 Filtering Configuration per Level

All filtering is performed locally using open-source categorised blocklists + Irish overlay. DNS4EU unfiltered (86.54.11.100) is used for resolution only.

Level	Local Filtering	Categories Blocked
Level 1	Whitelist mode (ISP managed)	Everything except approved domains (whitelist maintained by Coimisiún na Meán)
Level 2	Full child protection	Adult, gambling, violence, drugs, weapons, social media, dating, proxy, self-harm, gaming communities
Level 3	Pre-teen protection	Adult, gambling, dating, proxy, self-harm, social media (default blocked)
Level 4	Restricted-teen protection	Adult, gambling, self-harm, malware; social media only via parent-approved restricted mode
Level 5	Older-teen transition	Adult, gambling, self-harm, malware (social media default-on from 16)

6. Parental Education Component

6.1 Digital Citizenship Curriculum

The SafeFamily app includes a Digital Citizenship Guide for parents, organised by level:

Level	Parent Learning Module	Time
Level 1	"Setting up your child's first internet experience"	10 min
Level 2	"Having the first conversation about internet safety"	15 min
Level 3	"Social media readiness: when and how"	20 min
Level 4	"Trust-based parenting in the digital age"	15 min
Level 5	"Preparing your child for independent digital life"	10 min

6.2 Partnership with CyberSafeKids

CyberSafeKids already provides digital safety education in Irish schools. The Graduated Freedom Model could integrate with their curriculum:

School Year	CyberSafeKids Module	SafeFamily Level
Junior Infants to 2nd Class	Internet basics, safe searching	Level 1-2
3rd to 6th Class	Online communication, digital footprint	Level 2-3
1st to 3rd Year (secondary)	Social media, critical thinking	Level 3-4
Transition Year to 6th Year	Digital citizenship, online risks	Level 4-5

7. Why This Matters for the Proposal

7.1 Addresses Key Criticisms

Criticism	How Graduated Freedom Responds
"Filtering creates a false sense of security"	Progressive trust teaches children to self-regulate
"Children need to learn about the real internet"	They do - gradually, with age-appropriate guidance
"The 18th birthday cliff edge is dangerous"	Level 5 (16-18) is essentially unfiltered already
"It's just blocking - no education"	Conversation guides, digital citizenship, parent learning
"Filtering prevents access to support services"	Crisis whitelist ensures help is always accessible
"One-size-fits-all doesn't work"	Five levels + parent customisation + ask-to-access

7.2 Strengthened Policy Pitch

"This isn't just about blocking harmful content. It's about creating a structured pathway from total protection for young children to independent digital citizenship for young adults. DNS filtering is the technical mechanism; graduated freedom is the educational philosophy."

This document should be read alongside the main Policy Proposal and the Age Verification Layer document.

February 2026