MEP likens efforts in regulating social media sector to 'David versus Goliath'

Fianna Fáil's Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said she had 'huge concern' over social media regulation and called for the Digital Services Act to go further

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú highlighted how governments and the EU were able to move quickly during the pandemic, saying that a similar approach is required when it comes to regulations for tech companies.

An Irish MEP has called for a rapid escalation in the EU's response to social media regulation, claiming "hatred and violence is fuelled by social media".

Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú was highly critical of social media companies in one of her first speeches in the European Parliament last week, lashing out at tech giants as being “profit-hungry rebels”.

The Fianna Fáil MEP said that efforts to regulate the sector, through the EU’s Digital Services Act, are akin to “David versus Goliath”.

“The Goliath tech giants devour regulations and self-regulation and compliance for their breakfast,” Ms Ní Murchú said.

“They thrive on enforcement and self-regulation because they know it’s slow, cumbersome, and full of red tape.” 

In particular, she took aim at social media firms for the impact they have on the general public.

MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú added that total bans in isolation are not helpful.

Asked by the Irish Examiner if she stood by these comments, Ms Ní Mhurchú said she did and that she had “huge concern” over social media regulation and called for the Digital Services Act to go further.

In particular, she said that the moderation of platforms is not good enough.

“We’ve seen the riots in Dublin,” Ms Ní Mhurchú said.

A lot of the hatred and violence is fuelled by social media

On how to tackle this, Ms Ní Mhurchú called for further EU regulations to deal with social media companies, saying that currently they are moving “at the speed of light”.

She highlighted how governments and the EU were able to move quickly during the pandemic, saying that a similar approach is required when it comes to regulations for tech companies.

However, Ms Ní Mhurchú sounded a note of caution when it came to banning social media for certain cohorts. She added that total bans in isolation are not helpful.

In Strasbourg, she made a call for both injunctions and suspensions for tech firms as laws to be drawn up. She also made a case for “criminal sanctions” against some tech giant directors.

"We need to be rapid and we need criminal sanctions for those directors of the tech giants. That will temper the tech giants, that will teach them manners,” Ms Ní Mhurchú said.

Ms Ní Mhurchu’s comments come as Coimisiún na Meán is beginning its crackdown on leading social media firms, giving companies four weeks to outline how they are complying with new rules to remove illegal content.