INTERNET CONTENT GROUP TO ADVISE ON PROTECTING YOUNG PEOPLE ONLINE - KENNY

Posted on December 2, 2013 3:29 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin Bay North Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Sean Kenny, has welcomed the announcement by Minister Pat Rabbitte that an internet content governance advisory group is to be formed.

"This will be a specialist working group that will be made up of experts in the areas of child safety and online behaviour, as well as technical and industry experts. They will be considering the relevant issues in relation to online content and its general impact on the lives of children and young people."

"The group will take submissions from the public and interested groups, and will produce a report for the Minister by the end of May 2014, dealing specifically with bullying and harassment online and issues around young people viewing internet content that they are not old enough to view. An essential part of their work will be to get the balance right in a way that ensures the protection of children and young people but does not limit their opportunities and rights online. The group will also be asked to produce specific recommendations on existing regulations and legislation around electronic communications, internet governance and the sharing of material online and the most appropriate relationship should be between ISPs, online service providers, the State and citizens in relation to access to legal material and bullying and harassment online."

"I am very pleased that the Group will also be asked to comment specifically on the recent report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, of which I am a member, that dealt with the growth of social media and the tackling of cyberbullying and I am looking forward to hearing what the internet content governance advisory group has to say. They have an extremely important job to do and I wish them the best of luck in their work."