Twitter believes plans for a new internet safety bill will create 'an unhelpful global precedent'.
It, along with Facebook and TikTok, are appearing before the Oireachtas Committee today.
The Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport & the Gaeltacht meets for Pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Online Safety & Media Regulation Bill with @Facebook @Twitter @tiktok_ire #seeforyourself https://t.co/EP0QExhuQg https://t.co/cWg14bDObI
— Houses of the Oireachtas - Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) May 19, 2021
Twitter Has Raised Concerns
The Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill aims to establish an Online Safety Commissioner and a new Media Commission.
All three social media companies welcome its establishment.
However Twitter has raised some concerns.
It told the committee that they're seeing some countries imposing 'punitive financial penalties.'
So they make the business environment 'difficult for platforms'.
Committee member Senator Malcolm Byrne believes the legislation is important to stamp out trolling on these sites:
"For those of us who are politicians and journalists, we have slightly harder necks than others.
"One of the big concerns we have is where you see online bullying and trolling or attacks between young people."
Facebook Wants The Bill Halted For Now
Meanwhile TikTok told the committee that it's important to strike a balance.
That's between online safety and protecting fundamental values such as freedom of expression
Facebook however has called for a pause in passing the bill, until EU legislation on digital platforms is passed.
The giant, which also owns Instagram, does not believe it will be passed before March of next year.
So that's due to potential conflicts with the EU's Digital Services Act.
