Naughton to Represent Ireland at International Grand Committee at Westminster

Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton intends to question Facebook’s chief Mark Zuckerberg about the growth of fake news and disinformation at an international communications committee.

As Chair of the Oireachtas Communications Committee, Deputy Naughton will represent Ireland at an ‘international grand committee’ in Westminster on November 27^th where the Facebook CEO has been asked to provide answers to several countries including the Ireland, UK, Australia, Argentina and Canada.

The ‘international grand committee’ represents 170 million users in the countries these parliamentary committees represent.

Deputy Naughton said: “The goal of our parliamentary committees is to scrutinise digital policy, including disinformation and the governance of the internet.

“This committee is a very important event addressing common concerns affecting the people of Ireland, Australia, The UK, Argentina and Canada.

“Mr Zuckerberg has initially refused to attend the ‘international grand committee’, a disappointing response. We have reiterated our invitation collectively in the hope that he will attend the meeting in London.

“This is a landmark event, the first of its kind. Even in a post Brexit world, it is extremely important that both Parliaments cooperate on areas of shared concern.

“Ireland is the European Headquarters for many global social media platforms such as Google and Facebook. It is important that their senior leaders provide reassurance and accountability in an open and transparent way.

“Social Media platforms have to be held to account. The Communications Committee, which I chair, is presently considering the regulation of social media to protect the vulnerable.

“We need Mr Zuckerberg to engage with us given the seriousness of the issues that we face,” Deputy Naughton said.