Social Democrats co-leader R\u00f3is\u00edn Shortall TD has taken serious issue with the government\u2019s refusal to outlaw the repugnant practice of harvesting children\u2019s data for marketing purposes by large companies including Facebook.<\/p>\n
Deputy Shortall criticised the government\u2019s Data Protection Bill 2018, which is currently before the Oireachtas, for failing to include robust restrictions on how companies collect, use and monetise children\u2019s data.<\/p>\n
Deputy Shortall said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe recent Cambridge Analytica scandal has brought home to us just how easily people\u2019s online data can be misused.\u00a0 We really need to ask ourselves if we think it is acceptable for the data of children to be susceptible to being used?\u00a0 And, if we can trust large scale data processors like Facebook, Google, and Snapchat to use children\u2019s data responsibly without compelling them through legal sanction? I just don\u2019t think we can.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime and again, these companies have proven they cannot be trusted to act responsibly when\u00a0it comes to users\u2019 data. Time and again, they have only acted to tighten privacy controls when they are caught, or in response to massive public pressure. I am not alleging that anything they did, or are currently doing, is illegal. But that is at the core of the problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese companies may stick by the letter of the law, but their sole concern is their bottom line. We may all agree that harvesting the personal data of children for marketing purposes is repugnant. But if it isn\u2019t clearly prohibited there is no incentive for these companies to stop the practice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deputy Shortall said it was disappointing that the government\u2019s Bill would encourage, but not require, codes of conduct in relation to how data processors engage with children and handle their data.<\/p>\n
She added:<\/p>\n
\u201cThis Bill does next to nothing to add additional restrictions to the collection of children\u2019s data. Instead it gives the companies that will be processing this data huge scope in how they collect, use, and monetise it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Minister for Justice needs to assure us that he will task the Data Protection Commission to encourage data processors to put an end to the collection of children’s data for marketing or commercial purposes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Minister has said he has concerns about introducing further restrictions on data processes \u2013 but we need to know precisely what these concerns are and why he has not been proactive in taking steps to address the issue.\u00a0 The Minister also needs to clearly set out what legal advice he has sought and received that has led him to introduce such watered-down controls.\u201d<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n
17 April 2018<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Social Democrats co-leader R\u00f3is\u00edn Shortall TD has taken serious issue with the government\u2019s refusal to outlaw the repugnant practice of harvesting children\u2019s data for marketing purposes by large companies including Facebook. Deputy Shortall criticised the government\u2019s Data Protection Bill 2018, which is currently before the Oireachtas, for failing to include robust restrictions on how companies […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,7,264],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-news","category-press-release","category-roisin-shortall"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n