Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the decision by Facebook to remove the page of one particular far right activist who has propagated misinformation and conspiracy theories for a long time. That is a welcome move, however, at the same time we recognise that there are many other pages online that are ignored by Facebook, such as pages that spread misinformation and abuse about which nothing is done. A great feature of the Internet is that it is a forum for free speech and people can express what they think and what they like. On the one hand that is wonderful while on the other hand it is enormously damaging. Whatever about the Internet, social media platforms have become a very toxic place for many people and the difference between these platforms and the Internet, crucially, is that they have owners, moderators, editors and people who are in charge of them. In many instances in regard to those pages, the owners, moderators and editors are doing absolutely nothing to safeguard their users. Platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become toxic places for many people, and all Members of this House have been the victims of pile-on harassment, whereby abuse is piled on a person due to something he or she said that is unpopular with a particular group. It is notable that when that person is a woman, the abuse is invariably sexualised, and the threats and abuse targeted particularly at females in the public eye is notable for the nature of its content. We all suffer with it but there is a particular focus on females in the public eye.

I have reported many tweets that Twitter subsequently informs me are not in breach of its terms and conditions. I do not understand this because the tweets propagated misogyny as well as defamation, etc., against men and women in the public eye. We should put greater pressure on those platforms to takes some of the responsibility. Many of them are quite proactive, such as YouTube which responded to laws passed by Congress on copyright. It is very quick in removing content if it fears an action may be taken. In this country, social media platforms appear to act with impunity. We should have a debate because enough is enough. The users of social media platforms are being damaged by the material that is put online and we as a Legislature must seek a debate on that subject.