2026-06-16

138. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the recent report of the Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport around the use of recommender algorithms on social media platforms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45933/26]

Increasingly, large amounts of different groups are recommending that toxic algorithms be turned off by default. Most recently, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and sport, of which I am a member, made such a recommendation in our report. I would like to hear the steps the Department is taking to specifically deal with that measure to turn off algorithms.

I thank the Deputy for her question. Enhancing online safety, particularly for children and young people, is a whole-of-government priority. I recognise the important work of the committee, particularly the engagement with stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds who informed the committee's recent report, which is an invaluable aid to understanding how online safety and participation can be improved. In considering the committee's report, it is important to note the significant body of legislation already in place that provides the foundation for Ireland's online safety framework, including the regulation of online platforms. In Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán is firmly established at the heart of the online safety framework, which comprises the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, the EU Digital Services Act, DSA, and the EU terrorist content online regulation. In particular, the EU Digital Services Act contains provisions that specifically address recommender systems. Platforms must explain in plain language the main parameters their systems use to suggest content to users and provide options for users to change or influence these parameters. Additionally, very large online platforms and search engines that use recommender systems must allow users, including minors, the option to use recommender systems that do not rely on profiling. Providers of online platforms are obliged to put in place measures to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security of minors on their services, including a ban on adverts based on profiling, where the user is a minor. These online platforms and engines must also conduct a yearly assessment to identify and mitigate potential system risks associated with the design of their recommender algorithms. I know the committee's report recognises the sound foundations that are provided by the DSA and the online safety code. It also notes the investigations under the DSA that have been taken by Coimisiún na Meán. Additional information not given on the floor of the House The European Commission also has investigations ongoing into the use of recommender algorithms by a number of online platforms. This is EU regulation in action. The recently published National Digital and AI Strategy 2030 contains measures that further reinforce the Government's commitment to enhancing online safety as a whole-system priority. In this context, the EU audio visual media services directive, which is the basis for Ireland's online safety code, is currently being evaluated and further measures are likely to be proposed at European level. Online safety is under the remit of the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Deputy O'Donovan. His Department is currently assessing the ten recommendations set out in the committee's report, with a view to identifying and engaging the various Departments that will have a role in considering next steps. My officials will work closely with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport in that regard.

It is clear that the current legislation and regulatory framework are not working. The Minister of State talked a lot about the obligations on these platforms to allow users to adjust their settings and basically push back against algorithmic profiling and so on, but it is clear that it is not working. There have been multiple US cases recently where we see that the design of these products themselves promotes addiction, and the secret sauce behind all of them is the algorithm. Whatever the Minister of State is describing in terms of the existing regulatory framework, it is not working. The Data Protection Commission, DPC, essentially failed because if it had properly enforced the GDPR, we would not have had to set up Coimisiún na Meán. It now has a whole suite of European Union regulation to enforce, but it is still failing. We are now setting up an AI office within the Department of enterprise, which is just going to add to the complexity of a regulatory framework that is not working. This is not just about children. These algorithms are toxic and problematic for all of us. I will go into detail on how. This is not working as it stands. Users are not to be blamed.

I thank the Deputy for raising these concerns. I understand the concerns being raised and the impact recommender algorithms have on children. They are valid. Certainly, the Government takes the matter seriously. This is not simple. While it might sound straightforward to just ban recommender systems in theory, it needs to be evidence-based. There are also risks of unintended consequences. Having been a member of the media committee and having listened to many of the social media platforms, I am aware that recommender systems also form part of the solution. They do not just amplify harmful content. They are used as filters and to prioritise safety signals. They also reduce exposure to illegal and harmful material. Through the Digital Services Act, we are focused on platforms reducing the risks with these algorithms and ensuring that we have continuous enforcement. The DSA has measures in place that are currently in existence and legislated for. They need to be enacted. That is the responsibility of the European Commission, along with Coimisiún na Meán.

As I said, they are not working. I am not proposing a ban on algorithms. What I am saying is that algorithms are the way these products are being made addictive. We are all suffering as a result. They are radicalising people, promoting harmful content and polarising our society. We need to turn them off by default, and turn them off entirely for children. There are no unintended consequences in that regard. It would bring us back to the Internet that we used to enjoy, where we were not constantly bombarded with material that is trying to sell us things or keep our eyes locked on a screen. This is more important than ever as AI develops. AI will go further than just keeping our eyes on the screen. It is seeking to make emotional connections with us that would exploit us further and make us more addicted to these products. We have to turn off the algorithm by default. We are going to spend the next year discussing this ban for under 16s, which is not going to work because it penalises children and raises major privacy concerns, when we know the solution is to turn off toxic algorithms by default and fully for children. That is what we need to do.

A lot of work is being undertaken in our engagement with social media platforms. That includes age verification and working hand in hand with the European Commission. Coimisiún na Meán is central to the enforcement role. We have seen many investigations in recent times. I believe we need to focus on a more co-ordinated approach through European regulation. These are many global platforms that have a global reach. Ireland alone cannot take a central role. We have to work with our partners to try to alleviate this. Work is under way in many ways to protect minors and children. The issue of restricting social media for under 16s will be debated in this House and I believe we need to put protections in place. I agree with the Deputy that algorithms are central to that.