Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt has said that Sinn Féin’s stance on the issue of the internet being used to harass people, serves to highlight that a Partitionist mindset is alive and well within Sinn Féin.

Mike Nesbitt said:

“Earlier this week at Stormont, I welcomed the passage of my Private Member's Bill on Defamation. It had taken eight and a half years and finally modernises Northern Irish law, rebalancing the competing rights of free speech and the right to protect your reputation.

“During the bill’s passage through Stormont, Sinn Fein voted down my proposal that operators of websites would be held responsible for defamatory posts if they could not or would not identify the author.

“It has therefore come as news to me to learn that Sinn Féin is introducing new legislation in the Dáil today to prevent social media accounts being used to ‘anonymously defame, abuse and harass people.’

“Clearly Sinn Féin believe that internet abuse and trolling is another issue that should be treated differently depending on which side of the border you live.  In December the Party opposed a ban on hunting with dogs in Northern Ireland, yet supported a ban in the Republic.  

“This is indeed a curious way for a self-proclaimed all-island party to operate.”