Web watchdog ‘may be set up this year’
Taoiseach hopes safety law will get through Dáil
TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar hopes the new law to establish the office of an Online Safety Commissioner will be passed this year.
The Government recently announced its intention to create a commissioner’s office which will have the power to remove offensive and harmful material from social media platforms and issue fines to companies that don’t comply.
Mr Varadkar told the Irish Daily Mail that he would like to see the Online Safety Act, passed this year.
However, with the Government not commanding a majority in the Dáil, he warned it is not ‘entirely’ within its control as to when that will happen.
Mr Varadkar’s assurance has taken on increased significance following the massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which the alleged attacker broadcast footage of the murders on Facebook.
Speaking over the weekend, Mr Varadkar said he hoped the new watchdog would be established quickly. ‘I certainly would like to see the legislation done to establish the office of a Digital Safety Commissioner this year,’ he said. ‘But obviously, not having a majority in the Dáil means it’s not entirely under control.
‘[Communications Minister] Richard Bruton has put his proposals out to public consultation and we would anticipate being able to pass the law to set up that office this year,’ Mr Varadkar said in Chicago.
The Government’s announcement that Ireland is set to become the second country in the world to appoint a social media regulator came after the Mail called for the creation of the role as part its ‘Protect Our Kids Online’ campaign. The announcement was welcomed by children’s charities, opposition TDs and digital safety advocates, including the world’s only such digital watchdog – Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner.
The Taoiseach had stern words for social media platforms when asked about the watchdog, as he feels they should take more responsibility for content on their sites. He said: ‘There needs to be responsibility from media organisations and from digital platform operators as well, to make sure that they take down offensive comment or comment that incites violence right away. It shouldn’t take a Government office to help them to do it.’
The Online Safety Act, which was announced by Mr Bruton in recent weeks, proposes to create an office of Online Safety Commissioner which would have the authority to order companies to remove harmful content, including videos that incite hatred or violence.
Companies that fail to remove this content would be fined, and the commissioner could also name and shame companies that fail to comply.
Comment – Page 12 emmajane.hade@dailymail.ie