Bruton to meet TDs over Digital Safety Commissioner
ONLINE safety is a ‘key priority’ for Richard Bruton, who will this week appear before an Oireachtas Committee to discuss the introduction of a social media regulator.
A spokesman for the Communications Minister has said he plans to make online safety for young people a key part of his role.
Plans for the Digital Safety Commissioner appeared to be effectively shelved earlier this year when the Government launched its Online Safety Plan.
Mr Bruton’s predecessor Denis Naughten said at the time the establishment of a digital watchdog was being pursued but was more complex than expected.
The proposal to establish an office of Digital Safety Commissioner initially came from the Law Reform Commission. Sinn Féin’s own Bill for an internet chief is to be discussed at a Dáil Communications Committee meeting this Thursday.
Mr Bruton’s spokesman said he ‘looks forward to discussing the Digital Safety Commissioner Bill with the Joint Committee... and the steps being taken by government to ensure online safety’. ‘He recognises the very positive aims of the Bill, and is looking forward to engaging in a constructive and open way,’ the spokesman said
Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton, who chairs the committee, has confirmed it is to meet representatives from the ISPCC, CyberSafe Ireland, Facebook and Google on November 6 to discuss the creation of a digital watchdog.
Separately, Junior Minister for Mental Health Jim Daly has met Facebook executives to discuss the wellbeing of its users.
It is understood that he met Niamh Sweeney, David Ginsberg and Lauren Scissors from Facebook at the Department of Health last month.
They told the Minister about the ‘research they are conducting around education, safety and addiction’ and said they are preparing tools to give users reports on ‘how much time they have spent’ on the applications.
It is believed Mr Daly ‘raised the issue of bogus accounts and the efforts Facebook are making to properly authenticate accounts’. Facebook said the executives briefed the Minister.’
THE Irish Daily Mail makes no apology whatsoever for continuing our long-running campaign to keep children safe online and, in particular, to make sure they are protected from the insidious threat posed by smartphones.
Accordingly, it is to be welcomed that Richard Bruton is to appear before an Oireachtas committee to discuss plans for the appointment of a Digital Safety Commissioner. We fervently hope that Minister Bruton receives the full support of the committee, his Government colleagues and everyone on the Opposition benches.
Nothing is more important than the wellbeing of our children. Nor, sadly, do they face a bigger threat than that posed by the often toxic nature of cyberspace and social media. This newspaper will be watching Minister Bruton’s initiatives on this front with interest. His comments sound very promising, but he will of course be judged on the results.