SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES are not doing enough to remove misinformation about migrants from their platforms, Justice Minister Simon Harris has said.
Speaking on the one year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Harris said most people here “understand and respect Ireland’s international obligations and want to do the right thing”.
“It’s absolutely right and proper and understandable that communities will have questions as they would if there was any chance happening in their community,” he said.
“That is a world away, though, from the activities of a small number of sinister actors who are operating within our country, who are travelling from pillar to post spreading misinformation, sowing division,” the Minister said.
There have been numerous allegations about supposed crimes committed by migrants and refugees circulating on social media in recent weeks, including on Facebook and in the Telegram messaging app.
However, when The Journal sought to verify some of these incidents, it’s understood that Gardaí felt there was no need to investigate further.
Harris commended An Garda Síochána for their policing response to “what’s a really tricky situation”.
“The gardaí take this extraordinarily seriously, I think we’ve seen a number of high profile and live investigations by the guards, I want to thank them for their policing response to what’s a really tricky situation,” he said.
Harris noted that in recent weeks, gardaí have taken a “very unusual step to actually issue a statement in relation to a crime that was committed” in Dublin.
Gardaí issued an appeal over an alleged assault of a woman in the Finglas area of Dublin in the early hours of Friday, after what a spokesperson described as “a significant volume of misinformation and disinformation in circulation” regarding the investigation.
It comes in the wake of erroneous claims made by right-wing groups that a migrant was involved in carrying out the assault.
Harris also said that social media companies are not doing enough to remove misinformation when it appears on their platforms.
“In some cases, it’s a degree of clickbait to drive traffic,” he said.
“I’m not sure how these famous algorithms work, but I have no doubt that social media companies in some instances where they see lots and lots of people showing things, that can’t be bad for the business model, but it is bad for society,” the Minister said.
Harris said the Government will be “very eager” to remain in close contact with social media companies.
“These are good platforms and platforms that can be used for good, but can sometimes be used for bad.”
Social media firms were previously asked by Leo Varadkar to address how they would stop the use of their platforms to organise protests in breach of Covid-19 restrictions.
With reporting by Órla Ryan
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