Annual Lecture 2021: Disinformation in an Information Age: Ireland’s Response to a Global Challenge - Remarks by Professor Lorna Woods

• Pages: pp 190 - 193
• Published date: 12 January 2022
• Date: 12 January 2022

190

ANNUAL LECTURE 2021

DISINFORMATION IN AN INFORMATION

AGE: IRELAND’S RESPONSE TO A

GLOBAL CHALLENGE*

Remarks by

PROFESSOR LORNA WOODS**

I would like to begin with a general introduction on the topic of Disinformation

in an Information Age. Aer introducing this topic, I will delve into the model

of regulation that I have been working on with Carnegie UK Trust which oers

solutions to the problem of disinformation.

e problem of disinformation and misinformation is a global issue. is issue

is witnessed around the world; it is evidenced by the numerous international

bodies which aim to tackle this problem. ese include the International Grand

Committee on ‘Fake News’, which took place in Ireland in 2019. e United

Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization has highlighted the

problem with its article on ‘e Pandemic and the Infodemic’ which examines the

deluge of inaccurate and misleading information around COVID-19. e European

Union (‘EU’) has an ‘Action Plan Against Disinformation’ which targets the

problem of disinformation more generally.

Given the global nature of the problem, we have to consider whether national

solutions are sucient or whether we need some form of coordination between

nations. I do not go so far as to suggest that an international treaty is required to

address the problem. I simply suggest, at a minimum, that national regulators alone

will not be sucient to address the issue. We need also to take into account the

distinction between disinformation and misinformation. Further, the nature and

severity of any problem will depend on the context in which the misinformation or

* e Hibernian Law Journal is very grateful to each of the three speakers at our Annual Lecture

given on 27 April 2021. Given the nature of our publication, it was unfortunately not possible to

reproduce the detailed slides which accompanied each speaker’s presentation. However, copies of

the slides are available on request to: editor@hibernianlawjournal.com.

** Professor Lorna Woods is a professor of Internet Law in the Law School at University of Essex

and a member of the Human Rights Centre there. Formerly a practising solicitor in a technology,

media and telecommunications practice, she continued her interest in these elds in her teaching

and research as an academic. Her current project, with Carnegie UK Trust, is on the regulation of

social media, work which has received policy recognition in the UK and beyond and in respect

of which she was awarded an OBE. Any views or opinions expressed in this piece are the personal

views and opinions of the author.