Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 147:

In page 76, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following: “(da) online content by which a person makes available disinformation or false information which is intended to mislead;”.

The Bill creates new categories of harm around things that have not been illegal per se,such as promoting eating disorders or online bullying, but which are very obviously harmful and must be regulated. An obvious omission here is disinformation or false information. Ms Frances Haugen appeared before the joint committee in February and agreed that disinformation should be included as a type of harmful content. I think we are all aware of the dangers of harmful content. Many people in Ireland, particularly those who were vulnerable and isolated, fell victim to online disinformation during the height of the pandemic. In the United States, we saw the effect of false information around presidential elections and there have been devastating consequences in Myanmar and Ethiopia. There will be a gaping hole in the Bill if disinformation is excluded and, therefore, I hope the Minister will consider the amendment. The joint committee recommended in its pre-legislative scrutiny report that it be included in the Bill. The Department's response referred to the Digital Services Act.