TikTok has 'change of heart' and will attend committee

TikTok will attend the Oireachtas Committee on Media later this month, having initially rejected an invite, Labour TD and commitee chair Alan Kelly has said.

Last month, TikTok declined an invitation to discuss the posting of illegal criminal videos on social media platforms.

At the time, the social-media firm said it felt it could not attend the committtee due to the ongoing garda investigation into last month's M9 motorway crash and a Coimisiún na Meán examination of social media content relating to the incident.

It also said it did not feel it would be appropriate for it to be the only platform to attend the media committee meeting on the issue

However, in a statement today, Mr Kelly said TikTok had a "change of heart" and had now decided to attend the committee hearing on Wednesday 23 September.

"I very much welcome the decision of TikTok to now attend our Oireachtas Committee meeting on September 23.

"They confirmed this in writing to our committee this morning," Mr Kelly said.

"This follows an engagement that I had yesterday at the Irish Presidency Conference on Online Safety for Children and Young People with their representative.

"At and following our panel discussion yesterday I asked that TikTok reconsider their previous decision not to attend. In particular I did so as yesterday TikTok were able to outline much of what they currently do and plan to do when it comes to online safety.

"They outlined that they spend approximately €2 billion a year on online safety," he said.

"I appreciate their change of heart and I look forward to full engagement with our committee on September 23," Mr Kelly added.

A spokesperson for TikTok said: "We are pleased to be in a position to accept the committee's invitation.

"From the outset, we offered to meet directly with the Committee to brief them and answer their questions."

The company said it had committed to appearing publicly before the committee once discussions with gardaí and Coimisiún na Meán had progressed.

It is understood that TikTok believes these discussions have progressed sufficiently, putting them in a position to appear before the committee.

According to the company, it had made a standing offer to meet with the committee to brief politicians and answer questions in private session in the days following the M9 motorway crash.

EU Presidency conferences focus on online safety for children

Yesterday, an EU Presidency conference was held in Dublin Castle focusing on online safety for children.

Next week, in her State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to outline plans for social media restrictions for under 13s, with member states having the option to impose additional measures.

Countries such as France are calling on the EU to go further and introduce a social media ban for under 15s.

The Irish Government has previously expressed a preference for a blanket ban on children under 16 using social media but has said that it would favour a common European approach.

Minister for Communications Patrick O'Donovan met with his European counterparts yesterday on the issue.

"A clear majority of the Member States feel that we would like to see the European Commission act in the interest of children across Europe, act in unison, with mindfulness of the single market and mindfulness of the various different cultural differences that lie in Europe, around the protection of our children," Mr O'Donovan said.

"It was noteworthy last night that that several ministers put out their own version of ages that they believe are important - we had 13, 14, 15, and 16.

"There was clarity that this is not something that is uncomplicated.

"There is a complex need around the balance of rights, access to information, viewing technology as a positive, in terms of education, but at the same time, understanding the realities where children are in Europe today," he added.

Additional reporting: Brian O'Donovan