Ireland urgently needs to pass new online safety laws, department says

State has already missed EU deadline to enact media bill which would regulate web platforms

The EU directive means Ireland’s new Online Safety Commissioner will be responsible for the oversight of social media companies which have their European headquarters in the country, such as Facebook. Photo: RollingNews.ie

Ireland must “urgently” progress new online safety laws if it is to avoid continued infringement of an EU directive, the department in charge of the bill has warned.

Ireland’s Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Bill – which would establish a new Media Commission and regulate online platforms – was beset by delays in 2020, leading to infringement proceedings from the EU late last year.

As pre-legislative scrutiny of the bill continues, an Oireachtas committee ...