Coco's Law campaigner appeals for EU parents to let 'kids be kids'
Coco’s Law campaigner Jackie Fox has appealed to parents to let ‘kids be kids’ as she discussed the rise of social media and phone use in the European Parliament.
The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 was enacted in Ireland in February 2021.
The law has been dubbed ‘Coco’s Law’ after Jackie’s daughter Nicole ‘Coco’ Fox.
Pic: © European Union 2026 – Source : EP
The legislation means it is now an offence to share or threaten to share intimate images on digital devices without consent, as well as engage in severe online bullying.
Nicole was 21 years old when she took her life after suffering three and a half years of online and physical bullying. She died in January 2018.
Amendments to the act will soon mean AI-generated images will be punishable under the law, an update that Ms Fox welcomed.
Jackie Fox with her daughter Nicole Fox.
Speaking to Extra.ie at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Ms Fox wondered how AI engines such as Grok had been getting away with creating sexual deepfakes.
‘They’re luring children into looking up nudification tools,’ she said, ‘I think it’s just luring younger generations to mix in with this disgusting filth.
‘To be able to take the image of someone’s head and strip them of their clothes; put them in different positions.’
Pic: © European Union 2026 – Source : EP
Ms Fox noted that the AI deepfakes have seen children at the forefront, branding those who engage with sexually generated AI images as ‘predators.’
‘I’m actually visiting a school in a couple of weeks in Ireland, and those students (from age 12 to 15), they are being questioned under Coco’s Law for sharing images of their teacher on the nudification tools.
‘Kids should be kids,’ she told Extra.ie.
Pic: © European Union 2026 – Source : EP
The Dublin woman went on to share how she had played tip the can when she was younger, but noted kids nowadays are ‘born into social media.’
‘Anywhere you go, you bring your child out to a restaurant and the first thing they put in front of them is an iPad or phone,’ she detailed. ‘It’s not right.
‘There should be definitely 100% restrictions — how are they going to do it is probably a bit more difficult,’ she admitted.
It comes after Ms Fox received a standing ovation at the European Parliament in Strasbourg after she appealed to Members to enact Coco’s Law on a European level.
‘As I stand in Strasbourg, I implore you members from the 27 nations to make Coco’s Law a European Law,’ she urged.
‘Protect every adult and child before it’s too late.
‘Please let Nicole’s story be the reason to change the future so that no other family will face this pain.’
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