Sir, – It is interesting that opinion pieces by Eoin O’Malley and Anna McWey on lowering the voting age (“Should 16 year olds have the right to vote? A political scientist and a youth leader debate”, Opinion & Analysis, May 14th) come just a few days after Patrick Freyne’s and Jen Hogan’s insightful feature “Hooked on Tiktok” (Magazine, May 11th) following their interviews with a number of teenagers. That article paints an alarming picture, noting that while the interviewees “are savvy about how they are manipulated on social media sites like TikTok, but are nonetheless susceptible to manipulation”.
Eoin O’Malley makes a valid point in his opinion piece that while there is consensus around 18 year olds being adults such a consensus does not exist in relation to 16 year olds. He also poses the question as to whether those advocating lowering the age would wish to see 16 year olds becoming part of the adult criminal justice system. Anna McWey, in her view, points to, among others, Germany and Scotland lowering the voting age. It is worth noting that in Germany the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland has a very professional TikTok presence, directed especially at the younger generation. In relation to Scotland there is a view that lowering the voting age was a political stroke by the Scottish National Party that spectacularly failed in the referendum.
Currently, there are social and legal restrictions on 16 and 17 year olds who are still children under the law: they cannot marry, cannot sit on a jury, cannot enter into a legal contract, cannot buy a lottery ticket, cigarettes or alcohol, and cannot ring a radio or TV show to enter competitions for prize money. Interestingly, and to my surprise, one of the big music events of the summer, Electric Picnic is, according to its website, “a strictly over 18s event,” and goes on to say “children aged 13 to 17 years are not permitted to attend even when accompanied by an adult”.
The above restrictions are there for good reasons. It is ironic that many of the advocates for lowering the voting age decry the many negative influences teenagers are subject to and yet see no problem with 16 and 17 year olds being exposed to the blandishments of politicians at election time. Even seasoned, astute media interviewers are sometimes bamboozled by the claims and counterclaims of politicians promising the sun, moon and stars.
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Why the rush to lower the voting age? Today’s 16 and 17 year olds will live longer and have many more opportunities to vote from age 18 than the generation that had to wait until the age of 21 to vote and latterly until 18? I suggest we allow children to live out their childhood until they become adults.
Yes, they will have to wait until 18 to vote but that won’t drastically deprive them of anything, indeed waiting for some rights makes them all the more valuable when attained. – Yours, etc,
NOEL HOWARD,
Kilworth,
Co Cork.