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The Consultation on the proposed designation of video-sharing platform services as a category of relevant online services has now closed.

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On the 11^th July 2023, Coimisiún na Meán published a Call for Inputs, entitled Online Safety – Developing Ireland’s First Binding Online Safety Code for Video-Sharing Platform Services.

Following requests from industry and civil society organisations the Commission has agreed to extend the deadline. The new deadline for submissions is Monday 4^th September 2023.

Submission can be made to VSPSregulation@cnam.ie and a copy of the Call for Inputs may be found here.

Coimisiún na Meán is now accepting applications from Independent Commercial Radio Stations for funding under a development funding round of the Sound & Vision Scheme.

This funding initiative is being implemented in response to a request by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, TD, who secured an additional €2.5 million for the Coimisiún na Meán’s Sound & Vision Scheme to support the round.

This round aims to offer Independent Commercial Radio stations funding to develop and produce new and additional programming content for their audiences. In consultation with the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (“IBI”), Coimisiún na Meán has identified several strategic areas for such programming that will deliver on the objectives of the fund but also assist with the developmental and programming needs of stations and ensure that any content produced is relevant and adds to each broadcasters unique programming philosophy and schedule. These include Media Literacy, Digital Transformation, GEDI initiatives and Developing Communities and Communities of Interest.

An Coimisiún strongly encourages broadcasters to put forward ideas for creative, innovative and additional programming that will result in valuable content for both the station(s) and audience(s), including minorities and youth.

A Guide for Applicants is available here.

An Application Form is available here.

The Closing Date for receipt of completed applications is noon on 31^st August 2023.

An information webinar and workshop for applicants is being organised with Learning Waves Skillnet , the training & networking hub that provides Bespoke Coaching for the Independent Radio Sector. All eligible applicants will be contacted.

For further information about this round, please contact  bfurey@cnam.ie

New media commission will continue to hire on a rolling basis over the year – 120 new staff to be recruited initially

Ireland’s new media regulator and media development agency, Coimisiún na Meán has launched a recruitment campaign for senior staff members to join its team. Established to build on the work of its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the new commission is recruiting for director and managerial roles in a range of key areas to help it to deliver on its plans to enhance online safety, and to regulate and support the media sector.

As set out in its initial Work Programme, activities An Coimisiún will engage in over the coming year include the development of Ireland’s first binding online safety code; regulating on-demand and broadcast media services; developing new funding supports for the wider media sector; developing a strategy to promote gender, equality, diversity and inclusion in media, and carrying out a review of Irish language services.

An Coimisiún is hiring across a range of areas dealing with the overall media landscape, regulatory policy, platform supervision and investigations, user support in relation to broadcast or online content, Human Resources and IT.  Successful candidates will have the opportunity to play a key role in helping to shape the direction and approach of divisions within the regulator and will assist with the ongoing development of new structures, initiatives, and processes during this key start-up phase for the organisation.

Commenting, Executive Chairperson of Coimisiún na Meán, Jeremy Godfrey said: “Coimisiún na Meán is committed to ensuring a thriving, diverse and safe online and media landscape. Building on the work and remit of the BAI, we are currently in start-up phase, and we will be hiring in the region of 120 new colleagues across all levels over the coming year. This will allow us to become fully operational by early 2024.

“This is a really exciting time to be joining An Coimisiún and we are delighted to be recruiting for a range of roles that will support the delivery of our strategic objectives. We are now looking to hear from candidates with suitable skills and experience to help us meet the challenges ahead, and, at this critical phase, to grow and shape our organisation.”

For further information about the opportunities available and how to apply, visit the Coimisiún an Meán website.  

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Media Contact: Joanne Ahern / Síona Cahill, DHR Communications, Tel: 087-9881837 / 087-7530255.

Notes for Editors:

• Executive Chairperson, Jeremy Godfrey is available for interview, on request.

About Coimisiún na Meán:

Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s new commission for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services and online media, and supporting media development. Established in March 2023 under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, it builds on the work of its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It is responsible for ensuring and maintaining a thriving and diverse media landscape in Ireland that facilitates a mix of voices, opinions and sources of news and current affairs, as well as a safe online environment.

Its responsibilities are to:

• Oversee the funding of and support the development of the wider media sector in Ireland.
• Oversee the regulation of broadcasting and video-on-demand services.
• Develop and enforce the Irish regulatory regime for online safety.

EXTENDED DEADLINE:  Following requests from industry and civil society organisations the Commission has agreed to extend the deadline. The new deadline for submissions is Monday 4th September 2023.

Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s new media regulator and media development agency, is seeking views from the public and other interested parties to inform the development of Ireland’s first binding Online Safety Code. It is intended that the first Online Safety Code will focus on video-sharing platforms service providers and make sure they take measures to address online harms more effectively.

The Commission, which was established in March 2023 has a key responsibility for setting standards, rules, and codes for the different types of media services and relevant online services operating in Ireland. This includes responsibility for preparing and applying an Online Safety Code. The Commission has today (11.07.23) launched a Call for Inputs, entitled Online Safety – Developing Ireland’s First Binding Online Safety Code for Video-Sharing Platform Services. The Call for Inputs seeks to gather a wide range of views to help develop a code that is fit for purpose and will inform the preparation of the draft code for formal consultation later this year.

Commenting, Online Safety Commissioner, Niamh Hodnett said: “One of the Commission’s key duties is to develop online safety code(s) for video-sharing platform services (VSPS). This includes popular online media services and apps where user-generated videos are shared and watched, including by children and young people.  We intend for the first Online Safety Code to focus on VSPS providers, making sure that they take measures to address online harms more effectively.

“We are now seeking input from the public and other interested parties on how we should develop Ireland’s first Online Safety Code. Our Call for Inputs document explores the potential scope of the Code and sets out a range of questions that we would like people to consider. The responses will play an important role in helping us to identify issues and information that should be taken into account when developing the Code. Following this, we will publish a draft Code, and people will have the opportunity to comment on our specific proposals during the public consultation on the draft Code. The Code will then be finalised and applied to video-sharing platform services. Of critical importance to the Commission is to introduce a new code that strengthens the regulation of video-sharing platforms and significantly reduces the potential harms that online videos can cause to children and young people.”

In preparation for the development of the Online Safety Code, the Commission is also consulting on a new e-Commerce Compliance Strategy (also published today). Separately, it intends to establish a Youth Advisory Committee and is conducting research on online harms.

Over the coming months, the Commission will designate the video-sharing platforms that will fall within the scope of the Commission’s regulatory framework for online safety.

Executive Chairperson of Coimisiún na Meán, Jeremy Godfrey added: “The Call for Inputs is an important step towards developing Ireland’s first binding Online Safety Code. We want to collect a wide range of views to help us to develop a code that is clear, workable and legally robust, while protecting people from online harm and upholding human rights, including the right to Freedom of Expression. We call on anyone with an interest in this area to be involved in informing the development of this important Code by contributing to our Call for Inputs.”

The Call for Inputs document and details of how to make a submission can be found here. The deadline for submission is 5pm on Monday 4^th September 2023.

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Media Contact: Joanne Ahern / Síona Cahill, DHR Communications, Tel: 087-9881837 / 087- 753 0255.

Notes for Editors:

• Executive Chairperson Jeremy Godfrey is available for interview, on request.
• Biographies of the commissioners can be found here.
• Images of the commissioners can be found here.

About Coimisiún na Meán:

Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s new commission for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services and online media, and supporting media development. Established in March 2023 under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, it builds on the work of its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It is responsible for ensuring and maintaining a thriving and diverse media landscape in Ireland that facilitates a mix of voices, opinions and sources of news and current affairs, as well as a safe online environment.

Its responsibilities are to:

• Oversee the funding of and support the development of the wider media sector in Ireland.
• Oversee the regulation of broadcasting and video-on-demand services.
• Develop and enforce the Irish regulatory regime for online safety.

In June, the Commission published its first workplan which can be viewed here. Coimisiún na Meán is led by an Executive Chairperson, and currently includes an Online Safety Commissioner, a Media Development Commissioner, and a Broadcasting Commissioner

In partnership with the Trinity College School of Law, Coimisiún na Meán has published an essay on the topic of EU media regulation prepared by the top student taking the module EU Digital Single Market: Media regulation as part of the postgraduate LL.M programme in Trinity College. This initiative is designed to promote public debate about media policy and practice. The 2023 winning essay is titled ‘Protection of Media Pluralism: towards a virtuous and efficient legal framework at the European Union level’.It was written by Claire de Villiers de la Noue and is edited by Dr Ewa Komorek assistant professor, Trinity College.

A copy of the essay is available to download here.

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Research conducted by academics at DKIT, IADT, RTÉ and DCU and funded by Coimisiún na Meán

A new research report relating to services used by the vision impaired to access television content has been launched this morning (27.06.23) at an event hosted by Coimisiún na Meán.

Entitled ‘Investigating a Standardised Approach to Setting Audio Description Dip Values’, the aim of the research is to better understand the relationship between audio-described TV programme volume levels and the perceived quality of the programme’s audio descriptions.

The report, which was completed in June 2023, summarises overall findings from the multi-stage research project and suggests actions that may be taken by industry practitioners to create more standardised AD production practices and an improved listening experience for vision impaired service users.

Funded by Coimisiún na Meán through its Sectoral Learning & Development Diversity programme, the research was conducted by Kieran Lynch from Dundalk Institute of Technology & Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology and Oran O’Neill from RTÉ, in collaboration with Professor Tomás Ward from the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, Dublin City University. The National Council for the Blind of Ireland also played a significant role in enabling the completion of the work.

Audio Description (AD) is a commentary that gives a viewer who is blind or vision impaired a verbal description of what is happening on the television screen at any given moment. In order for the narration to be clear, the original programme material may require a reduction, or Dip, in volume, so as to prevent masking of the audio descriptions. The Dip Value (DV) is the resultant amount by which the programme material is reduced. The study examines how AD production practices can be improved, how greater consistency can be brought to the setting of AD volume levels, and how the listening experience can be enhanced for AD Access service users.

The research was carried out across a number of stages, comprising:

• An industry survey among the international AD production community to establish current production trends and duties, to document the technical knowledge of those producing AD, and to explore whether the automation of setting AD Dip Values (DVs) would be welcomed. The findings indicated discrepancies within AD production practices, suggesting the need for international guidelines and recommendations for the setting of DVs within audio-described programmes.
• A set of experiments benchmarking the mixing practice of professional sound engineers when setting DVs. Eight experts from the Irish sound engineering community participated in this in September/October 2022. Arising from this, a range of ‘test’ AD Dip Values – a set of three DVs for each of the ‘Quiet’, ‘Normal’, and ‘Loud’ programme loudness ranges – was proposed for evaluation by a target audience.
• Listening tests to assess the proposed DV settings on an audience. These were carried out in February 2023 and involved 35 participants, including AD service users, and listeners from a wider range of groups.

Commenting on the research, Kieran Lynch said: “It is clear from our research that not only is accessibility hugely important when it comes to audience inclusion but so too is the quality of the access services provided. Audio Description services should bring consistent clarity to the descriptive passages, while also maintaining the integrity of the original programme’s narrative. However, the evidence here suggests that AD user experiences are inconsistent across broadcast and streaming services, that these inconsistencies stem from a lack of industry recommendations and guidelines for setting Audio Description Dip Values, and quite often this technical task is carried out by non-technical production personnel. It is therefore important to establish a set of technical standards and guidelines for setting appropriate AD Dip Values.

“We feel that best practice in the production of AD content is to employ experienced, professional sound engineers when setting Audio Description Dip Values. However, we recognise that this is not always an option and therefore the proposed set of technical actions should allow AD producers to bring consistent quality to their content and positively impact the vision impaired community.”

Broadcasting Commissioner Celene Craig added: “Coimisiún na Meán is committed to ensuring a thriving, diverse and safe media landscape, building on the work of our predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. The BAI conducted a review in 2022 of the Access Rules, which are designed to increase the understanding and enjoyment of television by people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted. Over the coming year, An Coimisiún will conduct a public consultation as part of the revision of these rules. The research published today will help to inform discussions and policy developments in this area.”

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Contact: Joanne Ahern / Síona Cahill, DHR Communications. Tel: 087-9881837 / 087-753 0255.

Notes for Editors:

• The research report can be found on the Coimisiún na Meán here.
• Kieran Lynch (Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology) and Oran O’Neill (RTÉ) are available for interview on request on Tuesday, 27^th June on the findings of the research.
• The Industry Survey was conducted in October 2021 and involved 42 participants, including AD scripters, narrators, sound engineers, media producers and directors in Ireland, the UK, Europe, the USA, Canada, Argentina and Australia.

About Coimisiún na Meán:

Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s new commission for regulating broadcasters, on demand and online media, and for supporting media development. Established in March 2023 under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, it builds on the work of its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It is responsible for ensuring and maintaining a thriving, diverse and safe media landscape in Ireland that facilitates a mix of voices, opinions and sources of news and current affairs.

Its responsibilities are to:

• Oversee the funding of and support the development of the wider media sector in Ireland.
• Oversee the regulation of broadcasting and video-on-demand services.
• Develop and enforce the Irish regulatory regime for online safety.

Coimisiún na Meán is led by an Executive Chairperson, and currently includes an Online Safety Commissioner, a Media Development Commissioner, and a Broadcasting Commissioner. Recruitment is currently underway for a Digital Services Commissioner.

Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s new media regulator and media development agency, has today (20.06.23) set out its work programme for the coming nine months.

Highlights include:

• For the first time, online service providers will have legally binding obligations to take steps that make the internet safer for everyone.
• Regulation will be extended to cover on-demand services, as well as traditional TV, reflecting significant changes in viewing habits in recent years.
• Support for the wider media sector will be extended, with funding schemes for local journalism, a review of Irish language services, and a strategy to promote Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the media.
• The organisation will grow from around 50 staff at present to approximately 160 in the first phase of growth.

Executive Chairperson of Coimisiún na Meán, Jeremy Godfrey, said: “Harmful and illegal online content is an international problem. Our job is to regulate service providers based in Ireland, to make the internet safer for people here and across the EU. An Coimisiún will adopt a binding online safety code to address harmful content on video-sharing platforms, and we will enforce the new EU Digital Services Act in respect of a wider range of harms. We will particularly focus on keeping children safe. We will also work closely with our counterparts in other EU member States and with the European Commission, so that Irish users are protected, wherever the providers are based.”

Mr Godfrey noted that the online safety code and the Digital Services Act will have real teeth. If service providers do not take appropriate steps to reduce online harms, they face fines of up to 10% or 6% of worldwide turnover respectively.

Speaking about broadcasting, Mr Godfrey said: “Viewing habits are changing rapidly. Traditional television is still an important collective national experience. But viewers are spending more of their time watching content through on-demand services. We will update and adapt the rules for traditional broadcasting so that they also apply to video-on-demand, and we will look at whether there should be rules that make public service content easier to find for those using on-demand user interfaces.”

He added that Coimisiún na Meán would also undertake a review of the provision of Irish language services across the media landscape, as well as developing new funding schemes for local journalism and developing a strategy for promoting Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the media.

In conclusion, Mr Godfrey said: “Coimisiún na Meán is still in its start-up phase. We look forward to becoming fully operational by early 2024. Properly functioning broadcast and online media are essential to everyone’s fundamental rights in a democratic society. I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners, industry stakeholders and advocacy groups to develop a media commission that truly meets the needs of the people of Ireland, and Europe.”

Coimisiún na Meán’s initial programme of work can be found here. 

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Contact: Joanne Ahern / Patricia Ryan, DHR Communications. Tel: 087-9881837 / 087-2412928.

Notes for Editors:

• Executive Chairperson, Jeremy Godfrey; Online Safety Commissioner, Niamh Hodnett; Media Development Commissioner, Rónán Ó Domhnaill, and Broadcasting Commissioner, Celene Craig are available for interview, on request.
• Biographies of the Commissioners can be found here.

About Coimisiún na Meán:

Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s new commission for regulating broadcasters and online media, and supporting media development. Established in March 2023 under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, it builds on the work of its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It is responsible for ensuring and maintaining a thriving and diverse media landscape in Ireland that facilitates a mix of voices, opinions and sources of news and current affairs, as well as a safe online environment.

Its responsibilities are to:

• Oversee the funding of and support the development of the wider media sector in Ireland.
• Oversee the regulation of broadcasting and video-on-demand services.
• Develop and enforce the Irish regulatory regime for online safety.

Coimisiún na Meán is led by an Executive Chairperson, and currently includes an Online Safety Commissioner, a Media Development Commissioner, and a Broadcasting Commissioner. Recruitment is currently underway for a Digital Services Commissioner.

Coimisiún na Meán funds inclusion of Irish data in Reuters global report for ninth year

More than half (58%) of digital news consumers in Ireland believe that publicly funded news services are ‘quite’ or ‘very’ important for society.  However, they believe that it is more important for society than it is for themselves (48%). That’s according to the findings of the Digital News Report Ireland 2023, which will be published by Coimisiún na Meán this morning (14.06.23).

The study also found that only a quarter of Irish people (25%) agree that it is better to have a human editor/journalist select or curate what they consume, while 31% believe that it is better to see news selected by an algorithm, based on their viewing history and preferences. However, more than half of Irish news consumers (53%) ‘strongly agree’ or ‘tend to agree’ that personalised news may cause them to miss important news stories, while 51% are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ concerned about encountering only those viewpoints which accord with their own.

Research for the Digital News Report is undertaken by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and is the largest ongoing comparative study of news consumption in the world. The Irish data forms part of the larger survey, conducted in 46 countries. Ireland’s participation has been facilitated this year by Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s new regulator for broadcast, on demand and online media. The Commission also has a media development function and continues the support previously given by its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Analysis of the Irish data is provided by researchers from the DCU Institute of Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo).

The report includes an analysis of international and Irish trends in online news audiences, how online audiences access news, trust in news sources, and paying for news. This year’s report also looks at the cost-of-living crisis as contextual information on media issues. It includes six essays on topic of current interest, including the impact of tech job losses; news podcasting and making them pay; anti-social networks; the twilight of print; climate change reporting, and AI and the future of news.

Key findings from this year’s report include:

Interest in News: Interest in news has fallen once again. Some 52% of respondents said they were ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ interested in news, down five percentage points on 2022. The report shows that strong interest in news amongst younger people has plummeted since 2016. In that year, some 53% of respondents aged between 18-24 indicated they were ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ interested in news, compared with 28% in 2023. In contrast, some 69% of over 65s indicated a strong interest in news.

Trust in News: Trust in news has fallen back to pre-pandemic levels, with 47% of respondents saying they either ‘strongly agree’ or ‘tend to agree’ with the statement that they can trust most of the news most of this time. Although this has fallen five percentage points on last year, it compares favourably to the UK (32%); the US (31%), and Europe (40%).

Sources of News: Respondents’ mainsources of news are still television and online (excluding social media) which both sit at 32%. Social media is at 20%, radio sits at 11% and printed newspapers are at 5%. For 18–24-year-olds, social media is the most important source of news at 39%, followed by online (excluding social media) at 31%. For these ‘social natives’, TV sits at 18%, radio at 5% and printed newspapers at 5%.

Fake News: Worries about misinformation and disinformation are growing. Concern about what is real and what is fake on the internet is comparatively high in Ireland (64%), up six percentage points since last year. This compares with 50% in the rest of Europe. Meanwhile, the level of concern is at 64% in the US and is highest in the UK at 69%.

Listening to podcasts: Podcasts remain very popular in Ireland, with 44% of respondents saying they had listened to a podcast in the previous month, compared to 41% of US respondents, 34% of European respondents and 30% of UK respondents.

Government funding of public interest journalism: Climate change and environment news topped the poll (44%) of subjects seen as worthy of extra government resourcing. In second place were ‘less well served groups’ (33%) such as the Irish Traveller community, immigrant communities and the disabled audience. Local council meetings came in at 31%, followed by courts coverage at 22%.

Commenting, Coimisiún na Mean Broadcasting Commissioner, Celene Craig said: “The BAI began funding Ireland’s inclusion in the Reuters global report in 2015 because the research provides valuable insights into media consumption in Ireland and how it compares with our European and US counterparts. This year, the report has once again presented an excellent overview of how digital technology and trends continue to alter the shape of our Irish news media landscape.

“One of the standout findings this year is the growth in concern amongst Irish respondents on what is real and what is fake on the internet – perhaps prompted by how the rise in the use of artificial intelligence presents a challenge in ensuring transparency and accuracy in news production. Coimisiún na Meán aims to work in partnership with relevant areas of interest to minimise the effects of disinformation in Ireland and across Europe.  In this regard, Coimisiún na Meán hopes to build on the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation work undertaken by the BAI since the voluntary Code was first introduced in 2018.

“An Coimisiún is also actively contributing to preparatory work being undertaken on the new European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which supports plurality and transparency in the media and which is set to introduce protections for a range of players in the media sector. Finally, an Coimisiún looks forward also to continuing to deliver meaningful research to assist us in ensuring a diverse and pluralistic media landscape in Ireland, and to announcing later this year the development of new funding schemes to support public interest journalism.”

Professor Colleen Murrell added: “How we access and engage with news in Ireland is constantly evolving. Some of these changes have been happening steadily over time, such as the move from printed newspapers to online and social media. Other factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, fragmenting online audiences and platform disruption are now speeding up some of these changes. The importance of this annual Reuters news survey is that it enables media companies to examine and react to these trends to ensure that Ireland’s population can continue to access informative and trustworthy media. This year once again provides fascinating insight into what audiences of various age groups are interested in, concerned about, and where they are getting their news.”

The Digital News Report Ireland 2023 can be found here.

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Contact: Joanne Ahern / Síona Cahill, DHR Communications. Tel: 087-9881837 / 087-753 0255.

Coimisiún na Meán is very concerned about the video circulating on social media regarding an assault on a 14-year-old in Meath this week. 

When we are fully operational, we will be enforcing rules that require platforms to rapidly remove this sort of harmful content, once it is brought to their attention. We will also be enforcing other rules related to harmful and illegal content.

In the meantime, given the seriousness of this incident, Online Safety Commissioner Niamh Hodnett has asked the main social media platforms to urgently provide An Coimisiún with a report on what they have done to remove the video and to ensure that that it is not reuploaded.

An Coimisiún, which was established on 15^th March 2023, is currently finalising its workplan for the next 12 months, which will include designating services for regulation and developing and putting in place a binding online safety code.

The code will set standards for how providers minimise the availability of harmful content and the risks that it poses, including the speedy removal of such content.

Protecting minors from harmful content is extremely high on An Coimisiún’s agenda and will play a key part in these online safety codes.

As part of the development of the codes, An Coimisiún will consider a range of obligations, which might include matters such as how providers handle complaints about harmful content, how they protect children from age-inappropriate content, and how they minimise the number of people exposed to harmful content.

An Coimisiún’s workplan, which covers its start-up phase to February 2024 when the EU Digital Services Act will be fully applicable, will be published in June.  

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