Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also suggest that this should only happen once the key investigations into recent events have been completed, including those of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

It is critical to note that we are far from defenceless against any future attempt to manipulate democracy here. Leaving aside the rules in place regarding political funding from abroad, ensuring that we have properly funded and independent public service broadcaster is a critical backstop to democracy, as is our system to ensure media plurality in the context of mergers. Ensuring that our education system continues to teach media literacy, which is the case even in the civil, social and political education, CSPE, curriculum at junior certificate level, is a critical aspect as well.

On the specific issue of social media, I am assured that social media companies are paying increased attention to multiple and fake profiles on sites and that they are taking them down on a daily basis.

There are new and evolving challenges in terms of the abuse of targeted online media. I agree entirely that the State may need to take action in this area in the future. I have a general problem in principle with using 18th century tools to police online media because the online environment is changing rapidly. By the time we bring legislation through the Houses and have it enacted, it is out of date. We have seen that with legislation that has been introduced regarding protection of vulnerable adults and children in particular. We need to examine new, innovative legislative tools to deal with this issue.

I agree with the thrust of the Bill but the vehicle Deputy Lawless is proposing does not meet the necessary requirements. I agree that we need to deal with this issue and, through the Ceann Comhairle's office, we should pull all the players together in order to do so. We should proactively deal with it and bring forward a new structure that deals with the ongoing challenges and that can be adopted and changed as the people who want to thwart democracy adopt and change procedures as well. For that reason, sadly, I cannot support the Bill but I believe the principle needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

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