Fine Gael calls for regulation of social media at local election campaign launch

SOCIAL media needs to be regulated and local newspapers and radio stations need financial support from central government.

That was the message for the launch of Fine Gael’s local election campaign, at the Michael Davitt Museum in Straide today (Monday).

Deputies Michael Ring, Alan Dillon, MEP Maria Walsh and Senator Paddy Burke all declared support for the regulation of social media.

Maria Walsh said that people setting up social media accounts should have to provide a verified ID.

“When you are setting up on AirBnB or Revolut you need a verified ID, and you should have to have similar for social media accounts. At European level, we will give support to Governments to support a free press to do its job,” said Ms Walsh.

Deputy Ring said that people who post on social media often don’t realise the extent of what they are doing.

“People are leaving public life because of this,” Deputy Ring said. “They don’t realise the impact on people’s wellbeing and their lives, and the lives of their families. We have all heard the stories of the negative impact. It is not regulated and it needs to be. People are being fed lies and fake news and it is very hard to tell the difference between what is true and what is fake.”

“It’s not social media, it’s anti-social media,” Erris-based Gerry Coyle said.

Housing and attacks on rural communities were also discussed.

“Mayo County Council has failed the people of Mayo on housing,” Michael Ring told the launch. “The Council has taken up every available property for Ukrainians and other people coming to this country, and people cannot get houses as a result.”

On the attacks on rural communities, Cllr Jarlath Munnelly spoke of the need to roll out more CCTV cameras.

“Whilst you can’t have cameras everywhere, criminals have to travel through town along the way,” he said.

The party are fielding fifteen candidates in Mayo for the local elections, four of whom are women.

There will be further coverage of the launch of Fine Gael’s local election campaign in next Tuesday’s Mayo News.