Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending and for their willingness to attend this special meeting at short notice.

They have been asked to come before us on foot of a Channel 4 programme that members found very disturbing. The public reacted to the programme with anger, disbelief and trepidation, particularly in the context of the unknown. People are not fully aware of the extent of what is out there in the shadows and readily available.

Ms Sweeney has accepted that the decision not to remove the video in question was a mistake. I accept that this matter has been covered in a previous answer. It is inexcusable that something which was known to Facebook in 2012 was still available for viewing in 2018. It does not matter whether those who were viewing this vile act were under or over the age of 18 because the video should not have been available.

Ms Sweeney has accepted that areas of failure were identified in the "Dispatches" programme. How many other areas of failure have not yet been exposed? In my view, the ability of Facebook to police, edit and control content must be questioned seriously. Public trust and confidence in Facebook's efforts to self-regulate have been shattered. Facebook's ability to self-regulate has been badly damaged and must be questioned.

Everybody accepts that the innovation of Facebook has been phenomenal. The company has experienced spectacular growth. It has billions in turnover and it makes massive profits. In the public mind, what was initially seen as an ingenious way of communicating is now in danger of running out of control. There is a big fear among members of the public about this global entity. People are wondering what other damage it can do.

As Ms Sweeney stated, the reach and influence of Facebook are enormous. It has become a tool of abuse in a number of instances in recent times. It is a threat to consumers and society, particularly young people and the vulnerable. I will conclude by asking a question that gets to the nub of this issue. Does Ms Sweeney accept that the sheer numbers associated with the level of diverse activity on Facebook and other social platforms make it impossible for the company to control content and to self-regulate?