Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
532. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the continuing steps she is taking to protect individuals against social media platforms being used for cyberbullying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35694/23]
View answerThe Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act 2022 provided for the establishment of a multi-person media commission, known as Coimisiún na Meán, including the appointment of an Online Safety Commissioner, on 15 March 2023.
An Coimisiún will oversee a new regulatory framework for online safety. As part of the framework, Coimisiún na Meán will devise binding online safety codes that will set out how designated online services, which will include certain social media services, are expected to deal with certain defined categories of harmful online content on their platforms. The defined categories of harmful online content include online content linked to existing criminal offences, serious cyberbullying material and material promoting self-harm, suicide and eating disorders.
Importantly, those categories which are not linked to criminal material, e.g. serious cyber-bullying material, are subject to a risk of harm test, meaning that the online content must give rise to a risk of significant harm to a person’s physical or mental health, where the harm is reasonably foreseeable.
As set out in the OSMR Act 2022, in the event of a failure to comply with a relevant online safety code, and subject to Court approval, Coimisiún na Meán will have the power to pursue sanctions of non-compliant online services, including through financial sanctions of up to €20m or 10% of turnover.
As set out in An Coimisiún's work plan, published on 20 June, it is the intention to adopt the first online safety code before the end of this year. Further details can be found on Coimisiún na Meán's website www.cnam.ie/coimisiun-na-mean-seeks-views-for-developing-irelands-first-binding-online-safety-code/.
