Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs

European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combating Disinformation: Discussion (Resumed)

Ms Stephanie Comey:

Thank you. I just wanted to be sure that I had the right angle. I thank the Senator for that. We have a statutory obligation with regard to promoting media literacy. This is something that pre-existed the digital online safety and media regulation, DOSMR, Act; it is also in the Broadcasting Act 2009. One of the ways we are giving effect to that obligation is via our promotion of the Media Literacy Ireland network and the work it does in gathering stakeholders and promoting the Be Media Smart message. It is very much a message of empowerment for users. Media literacy is not about giving people the "correct" information.