Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other designated platforms will face hefty fines if they don’t take steps to protect children online.
Ireland’s media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán (CnaM), has named 10 platforms as video sharing platform services that will need to comply with future online content regulations.
These 10 platforms must comply with rules under the Irish Online Safety Code, which is currently being finalized by the regulator. The Code includes a range of measures aimed at keeping people safe online, especially children.
The platforms designated as video sharing platform services are Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Udemy, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest, Tumblr, and Reddit.
Measures in the draft code include implementing robust age verification technology to ensure children are not exposed to inappropriate content. The regulations also require parents to be provided with tools to ensure their children are protected from harmful online content.
Under the rules, video-sharing platforms must prevent the uploading and sharing of various forms of illegal content, including posts that incite hatred and violence. CnAM produced this draft Online Safety Code as part of its plans to implement the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, which was signed into law earlier this year.
The chosen platform should also provide media literacy tools to help people recognize disinformation and misinformation. According to the draft document, platforms that violate the code will be subject to fines of up to 20 million euros.
The public consultation on this Code is open for responses until 19 January 2024. The draft code and consultation document are available on the CnaM website.
The final code will form part of Ireland’s overall online safety framework and is expected to come into force next month. This framework will hold various online services legally accountable for how they keep people safe online.
CnaM said the framework is based on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation. The designation of 10 platforms is similar to how the DSA lists multiple online services as very large online platforms. These services face specific rules under EU law.
Last November, CnaM announced it had contacted multiple social media platforms after they were being exploited by people to organize violent riots in Dublin.
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