Instagram, Facebook and X are among sites that may require ID verification
Of New 'video Sharing Published To That Services', The Coimisiún On Its Safety List Subject Platform Online Be 10 Will Meán Code Na Tuesday,
Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter, are among the websites that may require a rigorous form of age verification to allow users to watch adult content on their sites, the media regulator has revealed.
On Tuesday, Coimisiún na Meán published the list of 10 “video-sharing platform services”, that will be subject to its new Online Safety Code aimed at protecting children from harmful content online and keeping users safe from content aimed at stirring up hatred.
Alongside these sites, the designated platforms also include YouTube, Udemy, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Tumblr.
The Online Safety Code will apply to these platforms, with heavy penalties available to Coimisiún na Meán to dish out to platforms that do not adhere to their requirements, with fines of up to €20m for breaches.
In an explanatory document explaining the code, the regulator said: “Content which is intended to incite violence or hatred is covered by the draft code (as it is illegal content which is harmful to the general public).
“Platforms will be obliged to prohibit the uploading or sharing of this content. Platforms will also have to provide effective media literacy measures and tools for users. These tools can help users to recognise misinformation and disinformation.”
Last week, the revealed people may soon be required to upload their passport details or a selfie to certain websites if they want to view pornography, as part of efforts to help protect children from harmful content online.
The provisions, which Coimisiún na Meán said would apply to platforms with their European headquarters based in Ireland, are contained in this code which remains out to public consultation until the end of the month.
“Just asking someone if they’re over 18 is not effective,” Coimisiún na Meán executive chairperson Jeremy Godfrey told the . “You have to do more than that before they see that content.”
While Mr Godfrey said his office would not be “absolutely prescriptive” on how the age verification should work, a requirement for a person to show their passport and then a selfie to verify they are the person on the passport could be described as a “gold standard” of verifying a person’s age.
“We care much more about the effectiveness than how it’s achieved,” he said.
As well as pornography, other elements that these online platforms will have to clamp down on include cyberbullying, extremely violent content, content which promotes eating disorders, and content which promotes suicide or self-harm.
Mr Godfrey said it was all about protecting children from things that could harm their physical and mental development.
“We’re saying to the platforms you must prohibit that in the terms and conditions,” he said. “And you must apply those terms and conditions diligently and have flagging mechanisms to identify them.”
Coimisiún na Meán added in a statement: “The finalised code will form part of Ireland’s overall online safety framework, taking effect from February this year.
“This framework will make a range of online services legally accountable for how they keep people safe online. This framework is based on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the EU Digital Services Act and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation.“