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A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Elon Musk had long allowed X to be a sewer of hate. Its AI extension, Grok, brings it to a new low, allowing users to generate, without consent, sexualised and otherwise objectionable images based on photos of real people including children. Picture: Vincent Feuray/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty</p>

S columnists

Fergus Finlay: We must block Grok, it’s that simple — so why aren’t we doing it?

Being told to turn to Hotline.ie in the face of non-consensual image abuse isn't good enough: We need political will to face down social media giants and internet service providers

<p>The Grok AI tool on the social media platform X allows users to create non-consensual 'nudified' images from photos of real people, including children. Picture: Yui Mok/PA</p>

politics

Grok scandal: Ireland to use EU presidency to address AI image abuse in European law

<p>Late last year, the Australian government ordered a social media ban for under-16s. Ten platforms have deleted a total of 4.7m social media accounts. Stock picture</p>

news

Children's charities warn that a social media ban could be 'a potential gift to abusers'

Boy with smartphone indoors. Preteen boy using a phone checking social media. Concept of children using the smartphone

news

Grok app abuse is 'mild compared to AI girlfriend sites'

Donald Trump Holds Campaign Rally At Madison Square Garden In NYC

comment-analysis

Grok AI scandal: Ireland could prosecute X under existing 'child porn' law

Young boy sitting outside holding a mobile or cellular smart phone. Connectivity, internet, millenial, screen time concepts.

comment-analysis

Children and porn: Horrific court cases show why Ireland must bring in age verification now

Colin Sheridan's A to Z of 2026

Colin Sheridan's A to Z of 2026

From America's 250th anniversary to Zohran Mamdani — via data centres, Eurovision, and fish kills — Colin Sheridan recites an alphabet of moments we will witness in the coming year

Wed, 31 Dec, 2025

Mother and daughter creating online content in a cozy kitchen

Pause before you post pictures of your children online

You may have fabulous footage of your children over the holidays but does it need to be shared with the whole world?

Mon, 29 Dec, 2025

Coimisiún na Meán is investigating social media firms. We found out how and why

Coimisiún na Meán is investigating social media firms. We found out how and why

With new Irish and EU laws in place, Twitter/X, Tiktok, and Linkedin are being investigated by Coimisiún na Meán. Its digital services commissioner John Evans explains how and why

Fri, 26 Dec, 2025

Shein stock market float

Shein's childlike sex dolls: French bid to ban illicit trade rejected by court

French consumer regulator found five other platforms — AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Joom, and Temu — were also selling illicit goods

Fri, 19 Dec, 2025

Australia's Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

Fake AI-generated ads are on the rise, and TikTok is helping to create them

Despite the company's own policies to combat deception and misinformation, quickly made, AI-generated adverts promoting fake health products remain rampant on TikTok

Sun, 14 Dec, 2025

Former Defence Forces officers say Ireland is under threat and may be at the mercy of drones

Former Defence Forces officers say Ireland is under threat and may be at the mercy of drones

Ireland has been left scrambling to catch up amid the heated geopolitical situation and the emergence of 'hybrid warfare'

Sat, 13 Dec, 2025

Social media rage bait — and why we're compelled to click on the angriest posts online

Social media rage bait — and why we're compelled to click on the angriest posts online

As Oxford University Press names ‘rage bait’ its word of the year, Jonathan Este examines the strange addiction to links that anger us

Sat, 13 Dec, 2025

Lawyer holding document and speaking to jury in courtroom

Colin Sheridan: Ah sure don't mind elections — let's choose who runs the country at random

Governing should be assigned to us all by lottery like jury duty. Surely it couldn't be worse than what we endure from elected governments?

Sat, 13 Dec, 2025

Female teacher holding up a book in front of her class of elementary school kids sitting on the floor in a classroom, side view

Teachers and parents are partners, not opponents

Yes, interactions with parents can contribute to burnout — but teachers are primarily focused on the wellbeing of children, write Pia O’Farrell, Catherine Furlong, & Sabrina Fitzsimons

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Presidential election faced online threats amid sustained attacks on democracy worldwide

Presidential election faced online threats amid sustained attacks on democracy worldwide

Unwary voters could easily be incited to act on the basis of plausible misinformation spread online via social media, write Ciarán O’Connor and Edel McGinley

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Muslims in Ireland 'living in fear of far-right extremists'

Muslims in Ireland 'living in fear of far-right extremists'

Government 'must act on hatred' as gardaí increase focus on extremism amid alleged intention by a violent right-wing group to bomb a mosque

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

DEATH Clough 11

Data Protection Commission beware: Poachers aren't always the best gamekeepers

The Public Appointment Service's decision to hire a Meta defector creates a lot of pitfalls, argues Cianan Brennan

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Big Tech defector Niamh Sweeney may be a vital asset for Data Protection Commission

Big Tech defector Niamh Sweeney may be a vital asset for Data Protection Commission

Despite the Irish Council for Civil Liberties' complaint, a former colleague writes that the former Facebook/Meta executive could be a powerful asset for the regulator

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Technology Stock - Social Media

Mick Clifford: Simon Harris should weigh his words about immigration more carefully

In the social media age we must speak carefully on topics about which a flood of misinformation is already being used to stir up outrage

Sun, 02 Nov, 2025

Internet addiction in teenagers

Irish teens more concerned about their social media use than most of their peers across Europe

ESPAD 2024 survey suggests Irish teens are among the most concerned about their use of social media and gaming

Wed, 22 Oct, 2025

'Talk to your children': Gardaí warn that kids can easily be snared by online abusers

'Talk to your children': Gardaí warn that kids can easily be snared by online abusers

Gardaí plead with parents to set sensible ground rules as they detail their work tracking down social media sexual abusers and blackmailers

Sat, 18 Oct, 2025

Mommy's Comfort (series)

Gardaí warn that children as young as five are being targeted online for sexual exploitation

Gardaí have identified over 100 Irish child victims of online sexual abuse this year as AI fuels new forms of exploitation

Fri, 17 Oct, 2025

US-TECHNOLOGY-META-DISINFORMATION

Presidential election: Facebook and Instagram to ban ads in protest at EU rules

Ahead of Meta's TTPA-related ban, Heather Humphreys has emerged as the biggest spender on the social media platforms of the three presidential candidates

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

Tiktok star Fiona Bergin helps to champion farm safety at the Ploughing

Tiktok star Fiona Bergin helps to champion farm safety at the Ploughing

Popular 'FarmTok' influencer Fiona Bergin was at the National Ploughing Championships to promote farm safety with Agri Aware and TikTok

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

Mick Clifford: Conor McGregor abandons presidential tilt without ever facing the public

Mick Clifford: Conor McGregor abandons presidential tilt without ever facing the public

The former MMA fighter left just one positive in wake of his ridiculous non-campaign: Now, surely, Irish people will never take for granted the guardrails of our democracy

Mon, 15 Sep, 2025

Fine Gael party think-in

Meta removes AI deepfake scam video of Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys

Meta has removed a fraudulent AI deepfake of Heather Humphreys promoting an investment scheme, as banks warn of rising election scams

Thu, 11 Sep, 2025

Clare man accused of posting intimate images of 15-year-old girl on Snapchat

Clare man accused of posting intimate images of 15-year-old girl on Snapchat

In the Coco’s Law prosecution, court heard the man put online a collage of four intimate images of the girl on November 15, 2022

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025

Illegal weight-loss drugs among 400,000 units impounded by HPRA in six months

Illegal weight-loss drugs among 400,000 units impounded by HPRA in six months

Health Products Regulatory Authority warns that black market drugs — many of which are promoted with false claims on social media — can damage people's health

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Technology Stock - Social Media

Unregulated social media is like the 'Wild West' – migration minister

Colm Brophy says Ireland must reconsider how social media works in light of unregulated dissemination of disinformation and violent content

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Garda probe underway as Simon Harris says threat against his children is 'cowardice'

Garda probe underway as Simon Harris says threat against his children is 'cowardice'

During previous incidents, masked men gathered outside his property and a bomb threat was directed at his house.

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025

Mary Robinson

Watch: Mary Robinson speaks out against Israel's aid embargo on visit to Gaza crossing point

Wheelchairs, crutches, and children's books among items blocked by Israel according to former Irish president who spoke passionately at the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza

Tue, 12 Aug, 2025

Clare man admits stalking after falsely branding two men as paedophiles on Facebook

Clare man admits stalking after falsely branding two men as paedophiles on Facebook

Facebook post falsely identified two men as ‘sick paedos’, offered a €1,000 reward, and stated that 'cable ties and baseball bats are at hand'

Mon, 11 Aug, 2025

Elon Musk's Twitter takeover caused 'uncertainty and fear' among staff, Labour Court hears

Elon Musk's Twitter takeover caused 'uncertainty and fear' among staff, Labour Court hears

Labour Court is hearing an appeal by Twitter International against a record unfair dismissal award of €550,131 to Dublin executive

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

GERMANY-US-INTERNET-TECH-X-TWITTER-MUSK

Social media giant X fails in court challenge against Irish media regulator over Online Safety Code

X wanted the court to quash Coimisiún na Meán's decision from last October to adopt certain sections of the Online Safety Code, which applies binding rules to video-sharing platforms headquartered in Ireland

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Elaine Loughlin: Trump's ICE attacks on free speech do not stop at US borders

Elaine Loughlin: Trump's ICE attacks on free speech do not stop at US borders

Trump’s administration is using visa policy as a political weapon — and Irish students may be the next casualties

Sat, 28 Jun, 2025

Limerick mayoral election

Social media: Irish and French ministers press for Europe-wide age rule to protect children

Ireland's media minister Patrick O'Donovan and French digital affairs minister Clara Chappaz have called on the European Commission to enforce age verification

Mon, 16 Jun, 2025

Garda sting catches fraudster selling fake driving licences for €680

Garda sting catches fraudster selling fake driving licences for €680

A garda pretending to be interested in buying one of the fakes was offered a bogus licence via Whatsapp

Wed, 23 Apr, 2025

'It’s gone too far now': Irish influencer Annalivia Hynds pleads with fans to respect her privacy

'It’s gone too far now': Irish influencer Annalivia Hynds pleads with fans to respect her privacy

The beauty and lifestyle creator and her fiancé, Ruari McGivern, posted a video to social media platforms, revealing that a video had been shared online showing the “whole layout” of their estate

Tue, 15 Apr, 2025

Cork Tiktok star: ‘I felt worthless in care but rap saved my life’

Cork Tiktok star: ‘I felt worthless in care but rap saved my life’

Aaron Murphy — aka Rebel — is a teenager who raps about life in care and has clocked up hundreds of thousands of views online

Sun, 23 Mar, 2025

Diary of a Gen Z Student: How social media shaped my generation

Diary of a Gen Z Student: How social media shaped my generation

I feel like my adolescence was sacrificed to my phone: friendships were confined to Snapchat. If something wasn’t posted to Instagram, it didn’t really count

Fri, 14 Mar, 2025

TikTok job cuts

TikTok may cut up to 300 jobs in Ireland

The Chinese-owned social media video-sharing giant has informed the Government of its plan to cut jobs

Wed, 05 Mar, 2025

Apple Cider Vinegar: How social media gave rise to 'wellness influencer' fraud Belle Gibson

Apple Cider Vinegar: How social media gave rise to 'wellness influencer' fraud Belle Gibson

Belle Gibson's posts about her battle with cancer touched the lives of millions. But she never had cancer and her whole 'alternative medicine' narrative was the basis of a massive scam

Tue, 18 Feb, 2025

Doctor watering brain tree vecor illustration

Four key chemicals that govern your life — and expert tips on how to optimise them

From exercise to social connections and healthy food, understanding the role dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins play in our bodies can help you boost their positive effects

Fri, 31 Jan, 2025

Online porn is driving violence in sex assaults, Drew Harris tells Policing Authority

Online porn is driving violence in sex assaults, Drew Harris tells Policing Authority

Garda Commissioner said 'very violent pornography' is contributing to the normalisation of violence against women

Fri, 31 Jan, 2025

'It didn’t start with gas chambers. It started with politicians dividing the people, us vs them...’

'It didn’t start with gas chambers. It started with politicians dividing the people, us vs them...’

Recent events make it imperative for us to remember the Holocaust — and to protect democracy so we can truly say 'never again'

Sun, 26 Jan, 2025

Meta layoffs expected

Meta challenges €91m Data Protection Commission fine

Facebook and Instagram owner wants the High Court to overturn the 'wholly disproportionate' fine imposed for improperly storing user passwords.

Mon, 20 Jan, 2025

Young boy sitting outside holding a mobile or cellular smart phone. Connectivity, internet, millenial, screen time concepts.

Growing number of parents seek help over their children viewing porn

Parentline reports that calls to the service relating to children's social media use jumped tenfold in 2024

Mon, 20 Jan, 2025

Snapchat

Warning that students 'have access to AI in their back pockets'

Expert says Leaving Cert reform must be paused to allow authorities to consider the implications of artificial intelligence

Mon, 13 Jan, 2025

Gardaí say false sex assault claim and disinformation on social media ‘spread fear of foreigners’

Gardaí say false sex assault claim and disinformation on social media ‘spread fear of foreigners’

'A campaign of misinformation, disinformation and fake news circulated not just in the local area, but nationally and internationally on social media'

Sat, 04 Jan, 2025