A Kerry councillor has branded as ludicrous, communication from the Media Minister that allowing anonymous profiles online is vital for free speech.
Following April’s monthly meeting of Kerry County Council, the council wrote to the Media Minister on policy around social media companies operating in Ireland.
A response received from the office of the Minister, dated 19th July, was presented to councillors at the monthly meeting of Kerry County Council.
In April, Cllr John O’Donoghue called on the council, in light of constant reports surrounding negative online behaviour, to write to the Minister and insist social media companies in Ireland verify identity of all account holders to eliminate anonymous trolls and bots.
The council received a response from the office of Media Minister Catherine Martin on 19th July, and this was circulated to elected members at this month’s council meeting.
This letter says a new independent online safety and media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, is putting in place an online safety code, which has already gone through public consultation.
This will be binding and particularly focused on ensuring safety of children.
The Minister’s office says this will require companies to operate risk mitigation measures in relation to algorithms that profile users and it will set out obligations for age-verification measures.
It says allowing users to create accounts without requiring identity verification is key to protecting users’ right to privacy and facilitating free and open discussion online, which upholds freedom of expression and opinion.
Kerry Independent Alliance councillor John O’Donoghue says he’s very disappointed with the reply, and people having to verify identity would counteract abuse, and prevent children accessing inappropriate websites by falsifying their age.
He says the line about ensuring freedom of speech by allowing anonymous accounts is ludicrous, as someone who supports free speech.
Cllr O’Donoghue says if this is the Minister’s attitude, this online safety code will make no difference and the situation will remain the same for years to come.
