Evidence of meeting #153 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was facebook.
A video is available from Parliament.
Global Policy Director, Facebook Inc.
I would just have to get the information back for you. I don't want to speak out of turn.
Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Health, Parliament of Singapore
You, yourself, Mr. Potts, just last month, gave evidence to the U.K. Parliament, where this issue came up in that session. Was that not correct?
Global Policy Director, Facebook Inc.
I believe the attack happened on Easter Sunday. We gave evidence, I believe, on that Tuesday. It was very much in the nascent stages when we gave evidence.
Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Health, Parliament of Singapore
Fair enough, but I would like to say that I'm surprised Facebook didn't see fit to check whether something had been missed.
Global Policy Director, Facebook Inc.
If I may say, sir, there is one thing I want to assure—
Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Health, Parliament of Singapore
If it's an answer to my question, then, yes, please explain, but otherwise—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer
I'm sorry. If it's not an answer directly to Mr. Tong, we don't have the time.
I'm sorry, Mr. Tong. We're out of time.
We have to move on to Ireland for two minutes, and then we will make some closing remarks.
I apologize. I wish we had more time. We just don't.
Go ahead.
Chair, Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Houses of the Oireachtas
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I didn't have a chance to get the answer to my first question in relation to Google's viewpoint on the GDPR. Many of the social media companies are based in Ireland. Effectively, our data protection commissioner is regulating for Europe, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has called on a GDPR-type approach to be rolled out globally.
What is your view on that? Will it work?
Head, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google Canada
We think the GDPR provides a strong framework for a conversation around the world on what extended privacy protections would look like. The question is how it adapts to local jurisdictions, and also reflects the political and social background of each of those jurisdictions.
Chair, Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Houses of the Oireachtas
You can't be definitive about whether it would work.
Are you in agreement with Mr. Zuckerberg in relation to the rollout of GDPR globally?
Head, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google Canada
We've already made a broad and detailed statement about the need for increased work on privacy regulation. It was last fall. It builds on a lot of the work around the development of GDPR.
I'm just being careful, because I recognize that, around the table, there are many different types of data protection regulations in place right now.
Chair, Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Houses of the Oireachtas
In different countries....
In relation to Ireland yet again, because it's the base of a lot of the social media companies.... You're all based, your European international headquarters are based in Ireland. We're working on digital safety commissioner legislation, which will effectively mean that Ireland will be legislating in relation to takedown online content moderation for Europe, and potentially beyond that.
Is that how you would see it? What is your viewpoint on that, very briefly?
Global Director, Information Policy, Google LLC
Consistent with what we said at the outset, clear definitions by government of what's illegal, combined with clear notices, are critical to platforms acting expeditiously. We welcome that sort of collaboration in the context of illegal content.
Chair, Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Houses of the Oireachtas
Can you see that being rolled out, maybe beyond Europe, because of the legislation in Ireland.
Global Director, Information Policy, Google LLC
Whether or not it's that specific law, I think the basics of notice and take down of illegal content, speaking broadly, is something there is increasing consensus around.
Chair, Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Houses of the Oireachtas
Facebook, do you want to come in on this?
Global Policy Director, Facebook Inc.
I think what Mr. Slater said is absolutely right. We do want to work with you. I understand our team is, in fact, working with the Irish public authorities on this.
We are also working with President Macron and the Government of France on what he's calling smart regulation. We would welcome, I think, the opportunity to discuss with you and others in Ireland how that is evolving. I think it's worth having additional conversations on it.
Director, Public Policy, Twitter Inc.
In addition to the importance of having precise terminology, I think accountability is important, beyond the regulatory agency to the Parliament and the people who can be held accountable by their constituents.
I would also note that it's important, especially on these issues of content moderation, which we take extremely seriously, to recognize how those tools can be used in the hands of autocratic regimes. I was listening to the testimony yesterday about pre-Nazi Germany. The tools used there to protect democracy in one case were then used to squelch it on the back end. I think they are difficult questions and I'm glad that this committee is taking it so seriously.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer
Thank you, Ms. Naughton.
We appreciate all the testimony today.
We have some closing statements, starting with Mr. Angus....
My apologies to Mexico, you did put up your hand, so we'll give you a quick two minutes. Go ahead.
Senator
Antares Guadalupe Vázquez Alatorre
[Delegate spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:]
I just briefly would like to ask you, what is the path that a victim must follow when the controls fail that are going against [Technical difficulty—Editor] and Google in particular.
Global Director, Information Policy, Google LLC
If I understand correctly, before you were asking about content that violates our community guidelines on YouTube. We have flagging systems where a user can click and say, “This violates your guidelines in this particular way.” That notice is then sent and put into a queue for review. They can do that right under the video there.
Senator
Antares Guadalupe Vázquez Alatorre
[Delegate spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:]
What happens when they are told that there is no breach in the policies, and there is a video with a person who is naked and everybody can see that?
Global Director, Information Policy, Google LLC
From the context, if it violates our guidelines, we would remove it. If we don't, there are appeal mechanisms, and so on and so forth.
Senator
Antares Guadalupe Vázquez Alatorre
[Delegate spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:]
I know of cases, many cases, that have followed all the routes online and always the answer has been, “This is not against our policies,” on the three platforms. What does the victim do? How do they appeal to anybody?
As I told you, in a particular case, when they went to the Google office in Mexico, they were told to go to Google in the United States. Therefore, what does a victim do when the images against that person still appear? They are up there.