COMISIÚN NA MEÁN, Ireland’s media watchdog, has been given the power to impose fines on social media platforms and service providers that don’t do enough to tackle terrorist content online.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has designated Coimisiún na Meán as the competent Irish authority to impose penalties on hosting service providers who do not comply with their obligations under the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation.

The Regulation aims to prevent the misuse of hosting services for the public dissemination of terrorist content online.

It requires that hosting services, and relevant competent authorities, move quickly to identify and remove terrorist content online, as well as facilitating cooperation between other member state authorities and Europol.

An Garda Síochána is the authority competent in Ireland for issuing removal orders.
Once a removal order is issued, hosting service providers have just one hour to take down the offending material.

McEntee previously said it was important that these provisions are “backed up by a well-resourced regulator to ensure that it is properly overseen and infringements of it are sanctioned”.

Media Minister Catherine Martin also previously remarked that “it makes sense given the overlap of investigation and enforcement powers contained in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill which established Coimisiún na Meán.

Terrorist content refers to material shared online that, directly or indirectly, advocates the commission of terrorist offences.

This includes the glorification of terrorist acts, advocates the commission of terrorist offences, attempts to solicit a person or a group to participate in the activities of a terrorist group, providing instructions on the making or use of explosives, firearms or other weapons, or a threat to commit a terrorist offence.

Coimisiún na Meán will now have the power to impose administrative fines on hosting service providers up to 4% of global turnover for infringements of the Terrorism Content Online Regulation.

Minister Helen Entee today said she the Terrorist Content Online Regulation is an “important EU-wide measure and something which Ireland is committed to implementing”.

“We have already implemented a number of the necessary measures, including the designation of An Garda Síochána as the competent authority to issue removal orders to online service providers,” said McEntee.

She added that An Garda Síochána “play a vital role in this respect” and that Coimisiún na Meán “will now play an equally important role in collecting fines from those providers who do not fully adhere to An Garda Síochána’s orders”.

“We will see a State-wide response to tackling harmful and corrosive content online, content which can motivate people do real world-harm,” said McEntee.