Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, welcomed the establishment of a multi-stakeholder working group to coordinate sectoral efforts to combat disinformation and provide a joined-up approach that aims to reduce the creation and spread of false and harmful material.
The Working Group is aiming to complete the strategy by end-2023. There will be a public consultation as part of the process. The establishment of the Working Group fulfils a recommendation in The Future of Media Commission report, which called for a more coordinated and strategic approach to combat the damaging impact of disinformation on Irish society and democracy.
The Working Group is being co-ordinated by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media. It comprises representatives from industry, academia, civil society and Government Departments.
Ms. Martina Chapman, National Coordinator of Media Literacy Ireland and an independent media literacy consultant, has been nominated to independently chair the Group.
The Future of Media Commission Report set out aims for the National Counter Disinformation Strategy and the work of the Group will reflect those aims:
- Coordinate national efforts to counter organised coordinated campaigns of manipulation of Irish internet users and ensure transparency about content moderation policies that impact Irish citizens
- Develop effective long-term monitoring of the application of the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation and the Digital Services Act in Ireland
- Be developed in consultation with all relevant departments and agencies, the Irish EDMO Hub, industry stakeholders, news organisations, civil society groups and Irish fact-checkers and disinformation researchers. The Strategy should also incorporate a role for Irish citizens, potentially seeking oversight of decisions impacting Irish users of content platforms, or complaints filed by them
- Examine other examples of international best practice
- Build relationships between platforms and academic researchers that facilitate access to data that would better inform interventions to prevent the spread of disinformation
- Identify measures to support innovation in fact-checking and disinformation research and provide support for innovation in areas critical to compliance with the new regulatory environment created by the Digital Services Act
- Review existing media literacy initiatives in Ireland, including an examination of the potential for a more joined-up approach between relevant government departments and agencies on the development of media literacy initiatives. Pilot programmes for media literacy emerging from this review should be eligible for direct support under the Media Fund.
- Acknowledge the important role that free, independent, high-quality journalism plays in countering disinformation, and align with efforts to protect the supply of public interest information at local and national level.
Minister Martin said:
“I welcome the establishment of a Working Group to develop a new National Counter Disinformation Strategy, as recommended by the Future of Media Commission.
We know that disinformation is complex and damaging. This means that no one approach can solve it. That’s why this working group has been established - to bring together key stakeholders across Government, industry, academia and civil society to develop an overarching Strategy to promote a joined-up approach that aims to reduce the creation and spread of false and harmful material.
Amongst other things, the Working Group will look to review existing media literacy initiatives, identify tools and mechanisms to address disinformation and identify ways to better coordinate national efforts to counter organised campaigns of manipulation of internet users in Ireland.
The group meets for the first time on 24 February and it is intended that the final Strategy will be published by the end of 2023. As part of the process of developing the Strategy, there will be a public consultation.”
ENDS
Press and Information Office
An Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán
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Notes for Editors
The Future of Media Commission (here) specifically recommended (Recommendation 8.8) that a National Counter Disinformation Strategy should be developed in consultation with all relevant departments and agencies, including Irish European Digital Media Observatory hub, industry stakeholders, news organisations, civil society groups, Irish fact-checkers and disinformation researchers.
Membership
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Department of an Taoiseach
Department of Justice
An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Electoral Commission)
Department of Environment, Climate and Communications/National Cyber Security
Centre
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Health
Department of Education/Webwise
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland/Coimisiún na Méan (Media Commission)
Press Ombudsman
Media Literacy Ireland
Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo)/EDMO Ireland
Irish Council for Civil Liberties
Libraries Association of Ireland
National Youth Council of Ireland
Technology Ireland