Media regulator Coimisiún na Meán has published an information pack for election candidates in the upcoming local and European elections.
It aims to offer guidance for candidates on what to do when they are faced with harmful and/or illegal content online.
The pack outlines the rights of users under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and details the reporting channels for various platforms.
"The main message for Coimisiún na Meán to election candidates is to report content they think is illegal or a breach of a platform's own rules directly to the platform," the commission said.
"Following that, if candidates believe that the platforms have not actioned illegal content once reported, they can make a complaint to Coimisiún na Meán via the contact centre.
"Any immediate threats or risks to life should be reported straight to the gardaí."
On the issue of misinformation and disinformation, the guide notes that while some social media platforms allow users to report such content, it is not necessarily illegal.
"Neither Coimisiún na Meán nor any other public body has the authority to require content to be taken down, solely on the basis that the content represents misinformation or disinformation," the guide states.
Coimisiún na Meán has established a dedicated email address for political candidates to report issues relating to illegal content and said it will prioritise these responses given that time is of the essence during election periods.
However, the guide notes that the commission is "not in a position to immediately or directly remove content, and the quickest way to have your issue addressed is by engaging with the platform itself".
The document states that "it is not part of Coimisiún na Meán's remit to carry out a content moderation role, to act as an appeal body from decisions of providers of online services in relation to illegal content, or to act as a judge in disputes between different parties or different users about illegal content".
The guide also explains candidates’ rights if their posts are removed or downgraded by a platform for allegedly breaching community standards.
The information pack will be shared with political parties and is also available on the Coimisiún na Meán website.
"Coimisiún na Meán recognises that during election times, candidates are at an increased risk of suffering online harm," the commission said.
"Under the DSA, very large online platforms and search engines have a duty to assess risks that their services may pose. This includes a risk to civic discourse and the electoral process," it added.
Kathy Boockvar is a US expert on election security who is currently visiting Ireland.
In her former role as Pennsylvania Secretary of State she was unsuccessfully sued by Donald Trump's campaign amid his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
She said that the spread of online disinformation is a critical issue here and around the world.
"When domestic actors are doing this to ourselves, we are making ourselves more vulnerable because foreign adversaries are looking at us and thinking that we are doing their dirty work for them," Ms Boockvar said.
"This makes us more vulnerable and makes them stronger."
"I think in our approach to combatting misinformation and disinformation we need to be looking at it as a national security issue and as an international security issue."
