An Oireachtas Committee has heard that there is no single Irish entity tasked with monitoring disinformation.
Dr Eileen Culloty, Deputy Director of DCU’s Institute of Future Media said ongoing monitoring of narratives, platforms and actors is necessary to understand the evolving dynamics of disinformation in Ireland.
She told the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs that journalists and fact checkers do this with limited resources while some NGOs monitor specific topics of interest.
“However, there is no overall monitoring of disinformation of the media environment that would support an objective understanding of whether disinformation about a particular topic is increasing or decreasing or whether certain groups are starting to target politicians, political issues or elections.”
Dr Culloty said there was no silver bullet to resolve disinformation or protect electoral integrity.
“The development of the Electoral Commission is a very welcome development, but it will be judged over the long term,” she said.
Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú asked whether all the tools were in place to combat disinformation.
Dr Culloty said recent developments would have a more long-term impact rather than short-term.
She said the EU’s Digital Services Act, the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act were looking at risks and harms, but these would not help with elections this year.
“The Digital Services Act is very specifically focused on illegal content so people can flag illegal content but as people are aware, disinformation is not illegal.
“People are entitled to say things that are false, they are entitled to believe things that are false. The issue is whether it causes harm and that is going to be something that people can debate and argue about,” Dr Culloty said.
She urged people not to have unrealistic expectations about the impact of those legislative developments.
