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Representatives from Facebook parent company Meta are set to visit the island later this month to discuss data protection and online safety.
Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel revealed Meta’s attendance at the Global Privacy Assembly Annual Conference – which is being held at the Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner – to the Children, Education, and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel yesterday.
Alongside other Ministers, he expressed his confidence that local legislation can have an effect on these multinational platforms.
Deputy Morel was under scrutiny particularly for his decision to turn down Parliament's offer to extend the UK Online Safety Act to Jersey in late 2022.
Panel chair Deputy Catherine Curtis previously expressed her "disappointment" at the move, and said her panel would be "seeking reassurances" about what was planned to take its place.
She also pointed out that Jersey's position was unusual because Guernsey and the Isle of Man had both agreed to pursue a 'Permissive Extent Clause'.
Pictured: Deputy Morel's remit includes the internet infrastructure in Jersey.
However, Deputy Morel – who has responsibilities over the infrastructure of the internet through the Telecommunications Law and the Data Protection Authority Law – explained he felt the UK Act "would not be appropriate" for Jersey.
"We are here as the States of Jersey to legislate for the island of Jersey, and we would have been bringing in a law that islanders would not have been able to amend," he said.
He did not discuss his decision with other Ministers, Deputy Morel confirmed – nor did he seek independent research or advice.
The Economic Development Minister said officers were now in the process of researching what other jurisdictions have done to regulate online platforms like Facebook and Snapchat – the results of which would be presented to him in November.
Building of the island's own law to regulate online harms could begin in early 2025, he added.
When asked by panel members whether Jersey would realistically have an impact on these multinational corporations, Deputy Morel said the devolved nature of those companies means Jersey deals with regional centres – for example, the Irish office of Meta.
He said: "I don't think it's right to think that just because we are small, we will be unable to do these things. I think we absolutely can."
The Minister refuted the idea that "our negotiating power is weak".
"In fact, Facebook will be here next month," Deputy Morel added, referring to the conference hosted by Jersey's independent data protection regulator.
The JOIC won the bid to host Global Privacy Assembly Annual Meeting, one of the largest and most prestigious in the global privacy calendar, from 28 October to 1 November following a vote by members of the Global Privacy Assembly.
The Online Safety Act became law in the UK in October 2023.
It contains a range of measures intended to improve online safety, including duties on internet platforms about having systems and processes in place to manage harmful content on their sites, including illegal content.
The Act also introduces new criminal offences and creates Ofcom as the regulator for online safety, granting it new powers including those required to enforce the framework.
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