The Irish government has banned grandparents from hugging their grandchildren without asking

The Irish organization We-Consent, funded by the country's government, has released a public service ad urging grandparents to ask their grandchildren for consent before hugging them.

The video, cited by the American newspaper New York Post (NYP), shows one grandchild happily hugging his grandparents, while another feels uncomfortable when his relatives lean in to hug him. The slogan reads that "not everyone wants to be hugged, even those who love them."

The public service ad sparked a wave of backlash online. Local council member Gavin Pepper stated that "no one should ever be forced into physical contact," but he also called for "common sense." According to the councilor, hugs from grandparents "should not be viewed as something strange and suspicious."