Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. It is timely he should appear before the committee before it commences its work on this issue. As stated by the Minister, there have been enormous improvements in the area of communications on Facebook and Twitter, much of which is for the better. The Minister also mentioned the Arab Spring in the context of how social media can lead to social change. However, there is also a downside to it, which became evident during the riots in the UK. People involved in rioting are using Twitter and Facebook to communicate about and plan attacks. It is the downside of social media that people are bringing to our attention. This is the area we need to address.

The Minister mentioned the gap in the legislation. The committee engaged a couple of weeks ago with a barrister from the Minister's Department on the right to freedom of expression, which we were told at that time also includes the right to anonymity. While we must respect that right, the misuse of anonymity arises. A tweet to the "Frontline" programme approximately one year ago, which impacted on the debate taking place at that time, was disowned. That is a case of misuse of the right to anonymity. When representatives of RTE appeared before the committee they told us that they did not have the technological expertise to trace that tweet. It appears to me that this is an area in which there is a gap in the legislation. Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites have taken off since enactment of the Defamation Act 2009. People believe that this Act relates in the main to defamation in the print media.

Does the Minister believe there is need for further legislation in this area, particularly in regard to traceability of tweets which could be considered bullying, harassment or even worse?