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Deputy Michael Healy Rae
DEPUTY Michael Healy-Rae TD has called for social media companies to be accountable for their failure to prevent the spreading of false information about various individuals.
The Kerry Deputy asked Taoiseach Simon Harris during his speakers time to ensure that the bar in which print and broadcast media are held accountable to, is also placed on social media companies.
“I want us to get back to telling the truth and being fair in our comments,” he said after highlighting a recent incident where he said his late mother’s photograph was used in a distasteful way.
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“They can say whatever the hell they like about me because it won’t worry me. It won’t take one minute out of my headspace. It won’t bother me. I don’t like it when they attack my family because they are my family. When they attack my friends, I don’t like that. But I am going to say this… My late mother died in 2015 and she was a highly respectable woman. She could speak seven languages. She never said anything bad about any human being. She supported all of us in every way she possibly could. And she was a nice lady.”
“When I saw one night her name being used in a derogatory way and in a political way, that pushed it over the line for me.”
“Why is it acceptable in the Ireland of today that people can go on social media platforms, and they can say whatever they like, about whoever they like. It can be members of An Garda Síochána, it can be politicians.”
“They can say outrageous things, they can say hurtful things, they can attack people’s families, they can attack individuals,” Deputy Michael Healy-Rae TD said.
Deputy Michael Healy Rae is challenging the Taoiseach to tackle the behaviour on misuse of social media and the failure of social media companies to act and will pledge his full support.
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