Ireland's Parliament Speaker Verona Murphy has called for urgent action to tackle fake social media profiles spreading false narratives. The Ceann Comhairle described an alarming increase in threats against elected representatives and warned the issue poses risks across society.
Murphy highlighted how the problem extends beyond politics to affect children facing online bullying. Tanaiste Simon Harris recently spoke about receiving "threats of appalling, unspeakable violence" against his family members.
Rising threats to democracy
Speaking to the Dail last week, Murphy outlined an "alarming rise in serious threats against elected representatives" and referenced challenges posed by unverified social media accounts. She has requested meetings with party and group leaders to address the matter collectively.
Appearing on The Week In Politics on Sunday, Murphy described her role as effectively the "shop steward" for Dail members. She explained how her constituency office deals with online harassment issues daily, noting the problem affects the wider public beyond politicians.
Legislative action needed
Murphy revealed the scale of threats has increased dramatically since her election as Ceann Comhairle. "In the months since being elected to Ceann Comhairle, it has come to my attention the vast increase and the veracity and the level of threats to members, and it's a phenomenon now I don't believe we can ignore any longer," she said.
The Speaker wants new legislation specifically targeting fake social media profiles. "This has nothing to do with free speech, I think the reality is that what is happening is that we have a vast increase in the number of fake profiles across all online platforms, they can literally promote false narratives and because we can't identify them, we can't do anything about it," she explained.
Protecting vulnerable groups
Murphy emphasised the constitutional obligation to protect people's right to a good name and reputation. She highlighted the severe impact on children, stating that online bullying has driven some young people to consider suicide.
"We have children in schools who are being affected by online bullying to the extent of where they are suicidal," Murphy said. She warned that Ireland only needs to look at neighbouring countries to see where unchecked online harassment can lead.
Moving beyond past controversies
The Ceann Comhairle addressed her survival of a confidence vote last April, when Opposition parties initially proposed a no-confidence motion amid disputes over speaking rights and coalition formation. The Government ultimately won a confidence vote in her favour by 96 votes to 71, with two abstentions.
Murphy said everyone has "moved on" from those controversies over a year later. "I've certainly moved on, and we've all moved on. There is a body of work to do and my job is to ensure the House operates so we can manage democracy essentially," she stated.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
