Online service providers will "exploit" any "loopholes" left in legislation which aims to make the internet safer for children, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
The Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht is conducting pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill. Several expert witnesses called for the appointment of a Commissioner for Media Pluralism, to ensure a vibrant online media environment in Ireland.
The experts also emphasised the need for an individual complaint mechanism, which would allow for the removal of material. Online platforms have become integrated into our everyday lives, and while we treat them like public spaces, Dr Culloty warned, they are in fact private companies and can set their own terms and conditions.