Commissioner to work with Naughton towards EU regulation of social media

The EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society has agreed to work with Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton towards regulating social media with EU-wide legislation.

Commissioner Mariya Gabriel has also asked Deputy Naughton to act as the link between the Commission and Grand International Committee on Disinformation and Fake News.

Deputy Naughton, chair of the Oireachtas Communications Committee, said: “I met with Mariya Gabriel this morning to emphasise the need to move away from an acceptance of self-regulation to the Commission proposing Europe-wide legislation on social media.

“She has agreed to work with me towards regulating social media, with EU-legislation as a long term goal.

“Commissioner Gabriel has agreed to seek monthly reports from social media platforms from January on issues around advertising or transparency, the use of citizens’ data and fake accounts.

“I have been asked to be the link between the EU Commission and the Grand International Committee on this issue.

“The purpose of the Grand Committee is to scrutinise digital policy, including disinformation and the governance of the internet.

“The Grand Committee is composed of parliamentarians from Ireland, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Latvia, Singapore and the United Kingdom and represents over 400 million Facebook users.

“The Grand Committee met last month and I will invite the Committee to Dublin in 2019 to continue its work,” Deputy Naughton concluded.

ENDS