Meet Jeremy Godfrey — Head of Ireland’s ‘Ministry of Truth’ — Responsible for Social Media Censorship and Policing Free Speech

Jeremy Godfrey has been appointed as the executive chairperson of Coimisiún na Meán (Media Commission), a body responsible for social media censorship and policing free speech in Ireland.

This appointment comes as part of Ireland’s efforts to enforce the Orwellian EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) of 2023, which requires online platforms with over 45 million active monthly users to focus on “moderating harmful and abusive content.​”

According to Politico.eu, Jeremy Godfrey will soon have the authority to impose fines on social media platforms that permit ‘hate speech’ and ‘cyber bullying.’

The news outlet reported:

Jeremy Godfrey will soon have immense powers to police social media. He’s just not quite sure how he’s going to do it.

Working from a nondescript building a mere stone’s throw from the offices of many of the tech giants now under his oversight, Godfrey is nine months into his tenure as executive chairman of Ireland’s Coimisiún na Meán, or Media Commission. The newly created regulator is on the front line of enforcing the European Union’s new social media rules, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), as many of the companies under its purview — like Google and TikTok — have their European headquarters in the Irish capital.

But ahead of early next year, when the Commission’s powers — including levying potentially hefty fines for infractions — take effect, Godfrey and his team of 75 regulators are still figuring out how it’s all going to work.

The Irish watchdog’s remit covers everything from overseeing the country’s broadcasting industry to enforcing EU-wide online terrorism regulations. It also must coordinate with other European regulators on policing the bloc’s online content rulebook. It will share powers with Brussels on many aspects of the world-first social media legislation, which aims to quell the spread of hate speech and disinformation on the world’s largest online platforms.

Since March, the agency has almost doubled, to approximately 75 individuals, with a goal of doubling that figure again, to 160 regulators, by the end of the first quarter of next year. By the end of 2024, Godfrey said he wanted up to 250 personnel on his books, although not everyone would be focused on social media. In comparison, the European Commission has about 120 people in its content enforcement team.

Social media has been less than kind, poking fun at Godfrey’s appearance, branding him the face of Ireland’s “Ministry of Truth.”

Below are some of the tweets:

Meet Jeremy Godfrey.

He is now the head of a team of 75 regulators responsible for policing and censoring social media on behalf of the Irish Government.

I was laughing so hard that I couldn’t pick one picture. pic.twitter.com/lMPTTZrqVU

— I Meme Therefore I Am (@ImMeme0) December 10, 2023

I legit can’t stop laughing. This man was just put in charge of censoring social media in Ireland.

His name is Jeremy Godfrey. He is real. pic.twitter.com/ecmteSjG0h

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 10, 2023

This is Jeremy Godfrey.

He is now head of monitoring and censoring social media in the Republic of Ireland.

This is not a joke. pic.twitter.com/Y31Y2cbBqz

— UNN (@UnityNewsNet) December 10, 2023

Meet Ireland’s Censorship Chief Jeremy Godfrey.

Irelands new Media Commission is responsible for policing social media and enforcing the EU’s Digital Service Act.

Under his powers, the Irish government will be able to fine social media networks huge sums if they breach online… pic.twitter.com/4E8VpLrQIw

— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) December 11, 2023

Meet Jeremy Godfrey. Executive Chairperson of the Coimisiún na Meán
This career civil servant and bureaucrat is in charge of regulating broadcasting and online media in Ireland.
#Ireland pic.twitter.com/0jKgvDMgFD

— Filippo Maria O di B (@Filippo60) December 11, 2023

Jeremy Godfrey will be able to decide what is ‘hate speech’ and what is ‘cyber bullying’.

I wonder what he thinks about this post? pic.twitter.com/OsCG5Qaq7y

— WallStreetCopper (@WallStreetCoppe) December 11, 2023