Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s media and internet watchdog, has announced a new Online Safety Code that, starting next month, will apply to video-sharing platforms which have their EU headquarters in the country. That includes… well, most of the big ones: TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, for starters. The Code sets, the agency says, binding rules for video-sharing platforms to follow in order to reduce the harm they can cause to users.”
This new code bolsters the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), and means that platforms have to ban both uploading and sharing of harmful content. The parameters defining harmful content are multifarious: videos promoting self-harm, glamorising eating disorders, inciting terrorism, or encouraging racism all need to be banned from being uploaded – and platforms must also act on any of this content reported by users. Platforms also need to provide simple ways for users to report it and they’ll also need to restrict what minors see: pornography, violence, adverts for cigarettes or alcohol must be blocked too.
This new set of rules only covers users within Ireland – but tech firms may find themselves in a tricky position if they roll out all these protective features in one EU country and not others, so they may simply implement them EU-wide. There are also a series of “Notice of determinations” that specifically apply the code to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Tumblr, Udemy, X, and YouTube.
Online Safety Commissioner, Niamh Hodnett, said: “The adoption of the Online Safety Code brings an end to the era of social media self-regulation. We will work to make sure that people know their rights when they go online and we will hold the platforms to account and take action when platforms don’t live up to their obligations.” Ireland remains home to many major tech firms’ EU HQs and they will have, the watchdog said, “an implementation period for certain detailed provisions, which require IT build,” that extends beyond the deadline of next month.