Ireland: Adopted Online Safety Code including content moderation regulation

On 21 October 2024, the Media Commission, the broadcasting regulator of Ireland, adopted the Online Safety Code for video-sharing platform services. The code implements Article 28b of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2018 and imposes specific rules on video-sharing platforms. The code includes provisions implementing the European Union (EU) Digital Services Act and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation. The code outlines measures for designated platforms to protect users from harmful content, including cyberbullying and self-harm promotion. The code would require platforms to prevent the dissemination of illegal content, including content that incites violence or hatred. Furthermore, the platforms would be required to provide literacy tools to their users to inform them of how misinformation and disinformation can be identified. Further, they need to provide functionality for users who upload content to declare whether videos contain audiovisual commercial communications.