Susan Gately
A bill on social media transparency, currently at committee stage, should become law before the Referendum on the Eighth Amendment, according to its sponsor, Fianna Fáil’s James Lawless, TD.
“On social media at the moment anyone can do anything they want,” the Kildare North TD told The Irish Catholic. “It is positive that people can be engaged in the democratic process but there has been a pattern, of ‘false flag’ activity, where somebody runs an ad that is almost designed to look like an ad from the opposite side of a campaign, in order to damage them.”
The Online Advertising and Social Media (Transparency) Bill 2017 requires that any sponsored advertising online must state who is behind it, with Facebook or other ads revealing their sponsors are and where they are registered.
“That’s currently the rule for election literature – leaflets and posters – but it doesn’t apply online,” said Mr Lawless.
The referendum campaign will involve huge activity from both sides – some from professional organisations like the Pro Life Campaign or the Coalition to Repeal the Eight Amendment, he said, but there will also be campaign organisations which “are not above board, who try to tarnish the other side.”
“The bill is not aimed at any one vote or referendum but given that we have an important referendum coming up this year, it makes sense to have it in law by then.”