Fine Gael want to "regulate public comments" on social media

flynnlives

The Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications is to hold a special meeting to examine the role of social media in public debate.
The committee will investigate whether there is a need for regulation or legislation of public comments.

He said he would convene a special meeting of the committee to deal with the issue of social media and anonymous comments.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1227/social-media-committee.html

For years our trusted politicians have always relied on our lazy or maybe compliant media who they can manipulate to spin stories in the direction they want it to go.
With the advent of the Internet and discussion forum and now social media their is an avenue for people to share and disect their lies.

And now with the tragic death of one of their own they now see a wedge to push thru their own sick agenda.

Instead of doing the correct thing and actually funding our disgraceful mental health system they would rather push their own agenda.

No, the answer is to control and regulate social media.

The above statement by this FG TD is a very worrying development. Any such attempt at regulation should be met with the utmost defiance.

how come no committee was set up for that girl who was bullied in Donegal?!
Maybe if political parties would actually stick to their election promises instead of passing them off like Pat Rabbitte did a few weeks ago by saying "sure isnt that what you do in election" then maybe people wouldnt be so angry.
Maybe if politicians didn't pay themselves some of the highest salaries in Europe in a country that is in administration then people would actually believe a word they say.

Hootanany

flynnlives wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1227/social-media-committee.html

For years our trusted politicians have always relied on our lazy or maybe compliant media who they can manipulate to spin stories in the direction they want it to go.
With the advent of the Internet and discussion forum and now social media their is an avenue for people to share and disect their lies.

And now with the tragic death of one of their own they now see a wedge to push thru their own sick agenda.

Instead of doing the correct thing and actually funding our disgraceful mental health system they would rather push their own agenda.

No, the answer is to control and regulate social media.

The above statement by this FG TD is a very worrying development. Any such attempt at regulation should be met with the utmost defiance.

Tis

squod

T'was done last week.

orestes

Hey Fine Gael.

Get fukked.

Regards,
the internet

Mr. Incognito

Ah it's Normal Irish politician spoof.

Commission a report till it blows over and we look like we are doing something when in reality they are attending funerals and the civil servants run the country.

We use the smoking ban as a bastion of original thinking in the last twenty years.

FFS.

Look busy. Cover Ass. Free speech will stomp all over any attempt at regulation and they know it.

Dostoevsky

So those who oppose the Blueshirts on this essentially agree that any idiot should be allowed to anonymously attack named Irish people in a public forum? Right?


The Blueshirts have never had much going for them, but if "regulating social comments" is an Orwellian turn of phrase for making anonymous people responsible for their comments in public fora, then I agree this needs to be done asap.

leggo

Why should we have the right to comment anonymously, though? What's the problem with putting your name behind what you believe...unless you plan to abuse that privilege?

Cool_CM

Was quite funny to see footage on the news earlier of the minister typing with two fingers and generally looking uncomfortable with using a computer.
It won't be as funny when they legislate for things that they have no understanding of.
Again.

Mr. Incognito

If Internet is hurting your feelings. . .

Turn computer off and go outside.

That'll be twenty grand

Immaculate Pasta

Fine Gael are a shite great political party :cool:

WindSock

Fine Gael would say that. Because it's fat. And ugly. And stupid.
You're adopted and no one loves you, Fine Gael.

squod

Dostoevsky wrote: »

So those who oppose the Blueshirts on this essentially agree that any idiot should be allowed to anonymously attack named Irish people in a public forum? Right?


The Blueshirts have never had much going for them, but if "regulating social comments" is an Orwellian turn of phrase for making anonymous people responsible for their comments in public fora, then I agree this needs to be done asap.

Who the fuhk is anonymous anymore? Have a phone? Have an app on that phone? Seriously, no one sits behind proxies and slags politicians.

franktheplank

If they really wanted to do something constructive they should consider making libel actions affordable, ridiculously expensive in this country at present.

Praetorian Saighdiuir

I heard Fine Gael declared war on the clouds, apparently someones washing was almost dry on the line, then a cloud came and it rained on them.

flynnlives

Dostoevsky wrote: »

So those who oppose the Blueshirts on this essentially agree that any idiot should be allowed to anonymously attack named Irish people in a public forum? Right?


The Blueshirts have never had much going for them, but if "regulating social comments" is an Orwellian turn of phrase for making anonymous people responsible for their comments in public fora, then I agree this needs to be done asap.

except your wrong, there is no anonymity on the internet, there never was.

Everything can be traced back to your ip address.

flynnlives

leggo wrote: »

Why should we have the right to comment anonymously, though? What's the problem with putting your name behind what you believe...unless you plan to abuse that privilege?

here we go with the "if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear" bollox

GRMA

Rather disgusting utilizing the death of a colleague to fulfill an agenda. Using it to stifle criticism.

Shame on FG, I honestly thought after cutting the carers grant they could sink no lower. I was wrong.


He didnt kill himself because of nasty comments. People rarely kill themselves because of just one thing, usually its a combination of many factors.

Plus people have looked, there were very few comments about him on the internet or on facebook, or on the radio. What was there was robust criticism, perfectly fair. Nothing at all like the stuff that is said about the likes of Bertie, Enda Kenny, Gilmore, Reilly etc.

In fact I bet most of the casual readers here never heard of him until he died.

Poster Boy

Any attempt by an unaccountable elite of a broken state to introduce new censorship over the citizens must be prevented. End of.

Instead Fine Gael and their allies could look at:

1. Ending Irish libel laws so as to allow people free speech without the danger that they may lose their house by litigation by much stronger, vested, parties. Such is the way in other jurisdictions - as in the USA - and maybe if investigative journalism was not deterred in this way, the country might get some accountability.

2. Don't tax D'internet so as to cross-subsidize the media dinosaur that is RTÉ, with its "stars" on 400k+


Simples really

Hunchback

flynnlives wrote: »

except your wrong, there is no anonymity on the internet, there never was.

Everything can be traced back to your ip address.

could you not be considered anonymous if you set up as a first time poster and post on a computer in an internet cafe?

My name is URL

How predictable is it that we'd cop on to an idea when more sophisticated countries are in the process of phasing them out as asinine and ineffectual?

jank

WindSock wrote: »

Fine Gael would say that. Because it's fat. And ugly. And stupid.
You're adopted and no one loves you, Fine Gael.

Maybe they are black too?

Lyaiera

leggo wrote: »

Why should we have the right to comment anonymously, though? What's the problem with putting your name behind what you believe...unless you plan to abuse that privilege?

Do you honestly think that the only reason people say things anonymously is to ridicule other people? There has been more progressive thinking about the function of the internet over 20 years ago than what you seem to think its purpose is. If your view of technology is so limited you might as well give it up.

tayto lover

Maybe FG could muzzle some of their own TD's who are constantly spouting drivel and irking the people who use the social media sites. Start at home.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Seriously, no.

That's not how you solve bullying. Not at all. In fact, it'll just mean that people will have to seek other ways to do it. You want it done right? Go into schools, teach them how to be happy with who they are, without needing constant reassuring from others. That's why these ask.fm sites are so popular - they crave affirmation. Build people up, so that even if someone is bullied, it won't affect them.

My name is URL

It's a tad rich for FG to start whining about bullying and being made to fell inadequate

franktheplank

Lets regulate something because it's a hot public topic right now, even though that regulation would be completely ineffective and prohibitive to free speech.

Care homes for the disabled, completely unregulated, despite 20 years of government promises to do something.

In the year the Jimmy Saville scandal broke it's pretty much free reign for Irish sex offenders on the disabled here. In fact many forms of rape of the disabled are within the law.

LETHAL LADY

Regulating something to me means more quangos or the like pretending that they actually have a purpose. Definately agree with boneyarsebogman and education is the way to go, would it be too hard to introduce a social element to teaching from a very early age, nothing moralistic but more humane or something along those lines.

LiffeyValleyB

Can't believe they are attempting to trivialize suicide down to something as simple as a few twitter comments. Disgusting, bottom of the barrel type politics. Goes to show their level of understanding of complex mental health issues.

spikethedog

My name is URL wrote: »

It's a tad rich for FG to start whining about bullying and being made to fell inadequate

Amazing how FG are coming out with this BS after one of their own killed himself (R.I.P).
They weren't saying anything when people who lost all hope because of their actions in government decided to do the same thing.
The neck of this government to try and stifle criticism of their shabby operation on the back of the death of a man.
How low are they prepared to go?
They're leading the race to the bottom, that's for sure.

leggo

Lyaiera wrote: »

Do you honestly think that the only reason people say things anonymously is to ridicule other people? There has been more progressive thinking about the function of the internet over 20 years ago than what you seem to think its purpose is. If your view of technology is so limited you might as well give it up.

No, not just to ridicule other people. But unless you are a spy, whistleblower or doing something infinitely more exciting and important than posting on boards...what is the need? Let's face it, 1% of all users of the Internet use it for anything noble enough that it requires absolute anonymity. The other 99% are using it for cat videos, trolling and porn. Fúck 'em, let them be brave when the Gardaí can hold them accountable for their words once they cross a line.

spikethedog

leggo wrote: »

No, not just to ridicule other people. But unless you are a spy, whistleblower or doing something infinitely more exciting and important than posting on boards...what is the need? Let's face it, 1% of all users of the Internet use it for anything noble enough that it requires absolute anonymity. The other 99% are using it for cat videos, trolling and porn. Fúck 'em, let them be brave when the Gardaí can hold them accountable for their words once they cross a line.

As you've been told several times today, the garda can trace someone's IP address if they need to.