Irish Examiner view: The toughest sheriff on the internet

Catherine Martin, media minister: Directors of social media giants would become personally criminally liable for letting their platforms be used for online harm if discussions between Ms Martin and Fianna Fáil senators Malcolm Byrne and Shane Cassells come to fruition. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

In Ireland, Europe, and the UK, politicians are all striving to demonstrate that, when it comes to online harm and policing the internet, they can be the toughest, meanest, sheriffs in town — and quick on the draw as well.

That is because there are votes in this, and not many to be harvested by worrying about the consequences for freedom of expression, which could be significant once legislators start to get carried away by two of their most common reflexes: mission creep and over-reach.