Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Godfrey and his team. Our focus is on upholding the integrity of the upcoming elections and in particular, as the European affairs committee, of the European elections and that was why the witnesses were invited in. I will ask a number of questions on the presentation that Mr. Godfrey has given. I refer to the role of Coimisiún na Meán that he has set out, namely, combating online misinformation and disinformation and promoting impartial fair, objective information. On the first of those, he went on to say the coimisiún does not have a role in moderating content, resolving disputes or on whether particular items of content are illegal or represent misinformation. The organisation is not a censor and does not consider complaints about individuals. How is the objective aligned with the coimisiún's capacity? How does the organisation combat misinformation and disinformation if it has no role in determining what is misinformation or disinformation?

Second, in truth the speed of getting online platforms to remove patent falsehoods is critical in terms of an election. One may recall the comment made by a former American president that while he knew what he had said was untrue, he just wanted to hear the expletive deny it. My basic point is there is no point in having it all rectified after an election date. In terms of speed, what role does the coimisiún see itself having in that? As regards the guidelines as set out that are being finalised at present, are they enforceable and if so, by whom? When they are finalised and distributed, who is going to do that enforcement?

As for my final question, I hope I do not sound cynical but on the notion of Be Smart Media and Media Literacy Ireland telling people almost to go to a trusted trader, that particular horse has well bolted. I am not sure that I got the essence of whether there is an understanding - I would be interested in Mr. Godfrey's view on it - but the reality on the ground now is one where, for example, I would describe X as a sewer. You cannot post an event that you were at or anything without knowing that the most vile and awful of things will descend upon you. It is having an impact. Obviously we could hear in very recent hours an individual who is not standing in the next election make a determination on that. As for getting people to go into elections if that is now the new milieu, which is much more fundamental to the preservation of our democracy, it probably is an impossible task but I would hope there is an understanding of the serious undermining of normal discourse on social media that has an enormous potential to destroy functioning democracy in my judgment and I do not think that is an overstatement.