Irish and Australian media watchdogs agree to work together to ensure online safety

In recent weeks, Coimisiún na Meán has launched investigations into social media firms X, Linkedin and TikTok on suspicion they may have breached their obligations under the Digital Services Act to protect users online. File picture: Pexels

Ireland's media regulator has struck a deal to work with its Australian equivalent on online safety, just as Australia moves to enforce its age limit of 16 for social media accounts.

Coimisiún na Meán and Australia’s eSafety Commissioner signed a memorandum of understanding this week, affirming their “intention to collaborate” as they both aim to hold big tech firms to account in protecting people online.

The regulator said the move was about increasing expertise in the area of digital regulation and online safety through sharing information, data, good practices, methodologies and information about technical systems and tools.

“[We] are committed to ensuring a media landscape that the public can trust and one where online platforms are obliged to protect the safety, and security of users, particularly children,” Ireland’s Online Safety Commissioner Niamh Hodnett said.

“This Memorandum of Understanding will help us work towards ensuring a safer and more positive online environment for all our citizens and support wider regulatory co-operation.” 

Her Australian counterpart Julie Inman said both countries want a digital world “that prioritises people over profit, and responsibility over rhetoric”.

She said:
Ireland and Australia are particularly aligned around the protection of minors and the successful implementation of age assurance technologies.

Since the summer, Coimisiún na Meán has required age assurance measures for sites such as X to prevent minors from watching adult content on its platforms as part of its measures to enforce Ireland’s Online Safety Code, as well as enforcing Europe’s Digital Services Act.

In recent weeks, it has launched investigations into social media firms X, Linkedin and TikTok on suspicion they may have breached their obligations under the Digital Services Act to protect users online.

Meanwhile, Australia’s communications minister Anika Wells said media platforms must report monthly how many children’s accounts they close once Australia begins enforcing its 16-year age limit next week.

Platforms would face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (€28.3 million) from December 10 if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove accounts of Australian children younger than 16.

“The government recognises that age assurance may require several days or weeks to complete fairly and accurately,” Ms Wells said. “However, if eSafety identifies systemic breaches of the law, the platforms will face fines."

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Google said on Wednesday that under-16s in Australia would be signed out of its YouTube platform from December 10 and lose features only accessible to account holders.

“We have consistently said this rushed legislation misunderstands our platform, the way young Australians use it and, most importantly, it does not fulfil its promise to make kids safer online,” it said.

In Ireland, the Government has indicated it will not follow Australia’s example for the present.

Last week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government will adopt an "evidence-based approach" to control the impact of social media on young people and will not react in a “knee-jerk” fashion to bans being imposed in other countries.