People should be required to show identification to create a social media account, government and opposition TDs said.
The Children’s Rights Alliance, CyberSafeKids and the ISPCC are urging politicians to use the new Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill to mark the end of self-regulation by tech and social media giants.
“For too long, the responsibility of keeping you safe has fallen on young users themselves or their parents.
“Government action in this space has already been delayed,” said Tanya Ward, chief executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance.
An Oireachtas committee has begun a pre-legislative review of the Online Safety Bill, which will set up the Media Commission, which will potentially be one of the most powerful regulators in the state as it will oversee all media , including technology companies.
The Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and Gaeltacht Committee meet to discuss the pre-legislative review of the General Regime of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill with @ISPCCChildline @CyberSafeKidsEN @KidAlliance
https://t.co/EP0QExhuQg https://t.co/2fAE91mpTQ— Houses of the Oireachtas – Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) May 13, 2021
Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne said if someone wants to open an online banking account, such as a Revolut account, they will be asked for a passport or other form of identification and so should be. for all social media accounts including Twitter, Facebook and Tik Tok.
“There has to be a mechanism by which, and this is an engineered solution, you have to identify yourself to the company,” he said.
He said whistleblowers and satirical accounts could retain their anonymity under the system, but online platforms would still be able to verify the identity of the person behind the account.
Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin agreed that there are instances where a person may not want their identity to appear online, however, he said platforms can still request documents in order to create an account.
“In order to ensure that people do not choose anonymity for hate speech, for intimidation, for slander or for any improper purpose, anyone who authorizes this account should be able to verify and provide information on that account holder if, for example, there is a violation of the law and the gardaí needs that information,” he said.
“I mean, think of it this way, if I want to advertise on Facebook, or if I want to sell books on Amazon, I have to give them my passport, and that’s a way of verifying who I am. “, did he declare.
Mr. Ó Broin added that social media platforms should be regulated in the same way as publishers such as newspapers and other media.
