Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

As this is the last round of questions for me, I am somewhat concerned by the responses to Senator Fitzpatrick's forensic questioning. That is for another day, however. I am going away now more uncomfortable than I was when I came in. I say that particularly regarding Facebook and its representative. I have two simple questions. Whenever we talk about a fact-checking or watchdog-type body, individual or team, we must always ask who will watch the watchmen. That is a profound question. Who will watch the watchman? What mechanisms do Twitter or Facebook have in place for oversight and accountability?

That is something about which we need to hear. Have the witnesses individually, or the organisations they represent, in this case Facebook and Twitter, personally, professionally or as a collective in terms of those organisations, been involved in any lobbying in regard to this legislation? If so, with whom? They might share that with the committee. I ask that question because it is important. There is nothing wrong with lobbying and it is a regulated profession. However, it is important, as a committee doing pre-legislative scrutiny in regard to this legislation, that we should know. I would like to hear what views the witnesses have and what their engagement has been with lobbying the political institutions, in particular politicians in Leinster House. I want to be specific about my questioning because I have thought about it and I have knowledge about it. Specifically in regard to this Bill, can the witnesses share, either as individuals or on behalf of the organisations they represent, what lobbying they have been involved in?