Social media giant TikTok has agreed to appear before the Oireachtas media committee after initially refusing the request.
Committee chair Alan Kelly welcomed the move from the firm, which was widely criticised over the sharing of joyriding videos in the wake of a fatal car crash on the M9 in August.
The car crash claimed the lives of five young people in a BMW which was being driven the wrong way on the motorway, and seriously injured three women and a child who had been travelling the correct way on the road.
“I very much welcome the decision of TikTok to now attend our Oireachtas committee meeting on September 23rd.”
The Labour TD said the decision followed an engagement he had with the company on Thursday at a conference on online safety for children and young people, where he appeared on a panel with a TikTok 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.
“I appreciate their change of heart and I look forward to full engagement with our committee on September 23rd,” he said.
TikTok had initially said it did not want to appear while An Garda Síochána and Coimisiún na Meán were conducting their own examinations into the matter, also arguing that it was not appropriate that it be the sole representative of the video-sharing industry.
It instead offered to meet with the committee in private.
A TikTok spokesman said that it was “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”.
It is understood that late last month, TikTok committed to appearing publicly before the committee once discussions with the regulator and gardaí had progressed sufficiently, which it now feels is the case.
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