Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It includes myself and many others over years. It is problematic. We are politicians and we have thick skins, but if applied to a child or young person, it is clearly difficult. How quickly does that process take place? How many people does Facebook have assigned to it? Is it centralised, globalised or how is it done?

I have regularly seen videos on Facebook, including in my constituency, and I am sure other members have similar experiences, where kids put up images of fights. I am a father of two. I admit that it never occurred to me prior to my appointment to this committee, when an image or video is brought to one's attention, that such material should not be on Facebook's platform according to its rules. I appreciate that there are billions of users and thousands working in the business, so it is almost impossible for people to handle.

Everything has to be relatively automated. I accept all of that but I would like to know whether there is an active group or programme within Facebook which is specifically looking at younger people who the company knows are a specific age, male and, under certain circumstances, more likely to share material like that. I am sure the type of profiling Facebook is capable of doing could target them. Perhaps that could be addressed and then Deputy Mitchell can ask her question.