Electoral commission must be alert to ‘malevolent online actors’ ahead of general election
Marie Baker was speaking in the run-up to two referendums next month
Ireland’s Electoral Commission must be alert to “malevolent actors” spreading false information online ahead of sweeping new powers to combat misinformation coming into effect before the next general election.
Justice Marie Baker, chair of An Coimsiún Toghcháin, was speaking ahead of the two referendums on March 8 concerning the role of the family and the responsibility of care, as defined by the Irish constitution.
Baker, a Supreme Court judge, said that new powers to combat misinformation and disinformation given to the commission would be “far-reaching”. However, as reported by the Business Post last month these won’t be in effect for the March 8 referendum and may not be enacted in time for the local and European elections in June.
