Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the guests for their presentations. I will start with the NUJ. The need for an electoral commission was mentioned, and its possible role in overseeing the regulation of online media advertising for political purposes. I refer to what areas the Bill would cover. Section 2(2) says it would cover matters relating to the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Assembly in the Six Counties in the North of Ireland, the European Parliament, local authorities in this State, the subject matter of a referendum or any matter relating to an industrial dispute going on within the State. Could Mr. Dooley comment on that from a trade union point of view?

I thank Ms Dunn from Google for his presentation. Google unilaterally took action in the referendum. Does Ms Dunn think that is sufficient, or is it the role of individual companies to do that? Should that be the role of the Legislature, the Houses of the Oireachtas?

I know Deputy Lawless had difficulty trying to find a definition of "bot". Would anyone like to comment on the definition of "bot", and how we would define and manage it?

I raised the next point on the Second Stage debate in the Chamber. In terms of the regulating the extra-territorial dimension of this, as we have seen not only online but in the referendum, a political party in a country outside the UK intervened in the England, Scotland and Wales referendum, which was also happening at the same time in the North of Ireland. An entity on this island, which is a separate country from England, intervened in that. Obviously, in the online context, it is much easier to intervene. In terms of trying to regulate that in the international context, and outside agencies intervening in it, which was the focus, it was probably welcome as a one-off intervention. People on both sides of the referendum might have complained about it, but in general it was welcome. I am not sure it is the job of a corporate commercial entity to do that. Could the witnesses comment on that?