The regulation body for media in Ireland has initiated a review to observe how tech companies handle unlawful web content. The primary stage which involves gathering information could eventually evolve into an enquiry that could enforce penalties or fines. At present, the regulator is reaching out to digital platforms such as TikTok, X, YouTube, and Meta.
Coimisiún na Meán expressed its worry that users were encountering issues when attempting to report illegal content to internet platforms. According to the Digital Services Act, these platforms have a legal obligation to act on the reported content. This concern came about following an initial review and data collected from both An Coimisiún’s contact centre and complaints forwarded by other European regulators.
In light of this, Coimisiún na Meán has kick-started an official review of the systems in place on online platforms to ascertain their compliance with the EU Digital Services Act. These platforms are required to provide simple and effective methods for users to report illegal content as per the Act. Further, there needs to be an easily reachable point of contact for users.
Tasked with ensuring that all platforms with EU bases in Ireland adhere to these guidelines, Coimisiún na Meán is also in constant collaboration with the European commission and various web safety regulators across Europe. It has formally requested detailed information from several platforms regarding their reporting procedures for illegal content and how users can reach out to them. Once the data collection phase wraps up, the commission will liaise with these platforms to guarantee their reporting channels are in line with the Digital Services Act.
Finally, if there are still concerns, Coimisiún na Meán can issue a directive for the platforms to address any deficiencies discovered in their systems and processes. In case this does not yield any upgrades and resolution, they might be subject to an official investigation.
“If Coimisiún na Meán’s investigation results in an evidence of non-adherence, the commission has the capacity to levy penalties like punitive fines. The commission also maintains the right to forge binding agreement commitments with a digital platform, with the platform pledging to regulate its conduct according to legal principles.”
“The Digital Services Act is a significant piece of legislation structured to establish a safer and more equitable digital space for users,” expressed John Evans, the Digital Services Commissioner for Coimisiún na Meán. “However, this act’s true efficacy for citizens in Ireland and the greater EU lies in adhering to its stipulations by digital platforms.”
He proceeded to provide more insight on the nature of complaints they receive, “We get a lot of grievances from individuals in Ireland and the EU regarding digital platforms. A third of these grumble about issues faced during the reporting of unlawful content online. We are stepping in at this juncture to ensure that these platforms abide by the stipulated regulation so that individuals can effectively assert their rights under the Digital Services Act.”