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A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Before last week’s local elections in the UK, Reform UK had 78 seats of those being contested. Last Thursday they multiplied that figure by a multiple of nearly 20, gaining 1,450 seats to add to the 78 they had.</p>

S columnists

Fergus Finlay: Young people must be taught to think critically or we are doomed

We’ve just witnessed a set of local elections in the UK that represent, at least for now, a seismic change in public opinion, writes Fergus Finlay

Suzanne Harrington

Suzanne Harrington: That's what we do now... we star in our own lives

<p>Willow Esteve was filmed at her workplace, where the influencer attempted to make her accept a soiled banknote.</p>

comment-analysis

Harassment by online influencers requires legal change

Close up of woman receiving botox injection in lips

news

Lack of legislation around injectable aesthetics 'glaring public safety failure'

Meta says ban on under-16s would not make social media safer

politics

Meta says ban on under-16s would not make social media safer

File Photo PEOPLE ARE BEING warned to be alert against a phishing scam involving fraudulent emails and texts

economy

Revenue took in €3.3m in unpaid tax from social media influencers

Young girl relax with her smartphone on a sofa

Social media firms to tell TDs and senators children are safe online

Meta, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google, and Snapchat will address Oireachtas children’s committee on Thursday

Thu, 07 May, 2026

Garda wall emblem

Senior garda allegedly photographed detective whistleblower and three people with him in court

High Court hears that the image was sent to Garda WhatsApp group looking to put 'a name to a face'

Wed, 06 May, 2026

Facebook Meta Platforms

Meta urged to build safer systems as Irish media regulator investigates ‘dark patterns’

Concerns over 'dark patterns' prompt calls for safer design as regulator examines how Meta platforms handle user data

Wed, 06 May, 2026

Coimisiún na Meán launches investigations into Meta over ‘dark patterns’ on Facebook and Instagram

Coimisiún na Meán examines whether Meta’s platforms limit user choice and manipulate access to non-profiled content feeds under EU law

Tue, 05 May, 2026

Influencer filming Cork City shop staff with smart glasses sparks 'incident'

Influencer filming Cork City shop staff with smart glasses sparks 'incident'

In another video, the 21-year-old student filmed a young woman undergoing a medical emergency in Cork City as she was being treated by paramedics

Tue, 05 May, 2026

Bishop Paul Colton on 25 years of change in Ireland as he retires from Cork diocese

Bishop Paul Colton on 25 years of change in Ireland as he retires from Cork diocese

After decades of service, Bishop Paul Colton reflects on leadership, social change, and the evolving role of faith in Ireland

Sun, 03 May, 2026

Margaret E Ward: Tech-enabled stalking and AI abuse are fuelling violence against women

Margaret E Ward: Tech-enabled stalking and AI abuse are fuelling violence against women

From hidden trackers to AI deepfakes, new technologies are accelerating coercive control and violence against women worldwide

Sat, 02 May, 2026

Spain Champions League Soccer

Gambling ads on social media target young men as study reveals 12.6 million male views

Research highlights how algorithms amplify betting adverts to younger male audiences, raising concerns about harm and regulation gaps

Sat, 02 May, 2026

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Concerns grow around surveillance and technology’s impact on women

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Concerns grow around surveillance and technology’s impact on women

Recent cases highlight concerns about surveillance and privacy, as Margaret E Ward explores how technology may affect women’s safety

Listen | Fri, 01 May, 2026

Protest at Whitegate refinery in Cork officially stood down; Cabinet to meet on Sunday

Gardaí to change approach to protests in wake of Whitegate fuel blockade

'I think we would see a far different approach if we had [a blockade] this weekend' – Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly

Thu, 30 Apr, 2026

Social media ban for under-16s

Supreme Court finds for TikTok in its dispute with Ireland's Data Protection Commission

Court upholds earlier ruling that allows TikTok to continue operating practices in Ireland while the DPC pursues the company for alleged breaches of privacy laws

Thu, 30 Apr, 2026

elementary school students with smartphones

Irish Examiner view: 'The Com' targets children in lawless online world

Europol and An Garda Síochána warn of the online network grooming children into violence and sexual abuse

Thu, 30 Apr, 2026

New social media apps formerly twitter x and threads on smart phone screen

Most Irish people reject far right despite strong social media presence – report

Network of 89 public pages and profiles on Facebook publishing racist and far-right talking points with a follower count of over 2.2m

Thu, 30 Apr, 2026

US-TECHNOLOGY-META-DISINFORMATION

Meta breaches EU law by failing to keep children off Facebook and Instagram

The European Commission issued preliminary findings that Meta did not have effective measures in place to stop under-13s accessing its services

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

Fake drone light show in Cork prompts council warning over online ticket sales

Fake drone light show in Cork prompts council warning over online ticket sales

Council says no permission granted for advertised drone show as scam page circulates offering tickets and event packages

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

Children onine

'Every avenue' being used to hold firms responsible for children's use of platforms, Foley claims

The Government is using “every avenue” to hold tech companies responsible for children’s use of their platforms, the Minister for Children has said.

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

A child using smart phone lying in bed late at night

'The Com': Europol warns of online network grooming children into violence and sexual abuse

EU police agency Europol has warned that The Com poses an 'extremely serious threat'

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

Cork principal denies being drunk in school and says 'social media trolls' targeted him

Cork principal denies being drunk in school and says 'social media trolls' targeted him

Aidan Breathnach claims to have been the victim of an 'orchestrated campaign'

Tue, 21 Apr, 2026

Garda's address posted online after he policed Whitegate fuel protest

Garda's address posted online after he policed Whitegate fuel protest

GRA: Online posts identified gardaí — 'who they were, where they were stationed, where they're living, where their kids go to school'

Mon, 20 Apr, 2026

HSE paid eight influencers €30,000 to take part in anti-vaping campaign

HSE paid eight influencers €30,000 to take part in anti-vaping campaign

HSE said its research shows younger people are 'harder to connect with through traditional media channels and advertising campaigns'

Mon, 20 Apr, 2026

"Dolly: An Original Musical" Fireside Chat & Press Conference

Terry Prone: Victims of trolling should follow Dolly Parton’s lead and rise above it

Her life offers a lesson that can usefully be copied: Smile. Don’t bad-mouth the bad guys. Just concentrate on delivering the good stuff to the folks who need it.

Mon, 20 Apr, 2026

Our politics can't cope with TikTok's emotional instancy

Our politics can't cope with TikTok's emotional instancy

Nobody is being deceived about the price of diesel - but the emotional register of this issue was skewed by online platforms

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Young man questioned over threats to kill to Government TD

Young man questioned over threats to kill to Government TD

A young man has been questioned in relation to allegedly threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a Government TD in connection to recent fuel protests.

Wed, 15 Apr, 2026

Waiting seats for patients in the hospital

Fergus Finlay: Authentic fuel price protest was distorted by its tactics — and a torrent of abuse

Protesting reduced oil supplies by reducing oil supplies is a mad strategy, and it was accompanied by vile abuse from some of the protesters and their supporters

Tue, 14 Apr, 2026

National Fuel Protest

'They went too far': Fuel price protesters call for national strike

Fuel protest spokesman Christopher Duffy took to social media to call for a 'national day of strike and protest'

Mon, 13 Apr, 2026

National Fuel Protest

Paul Hosford: Government fights back with €505m spend after social media posts fuel national crisis

Government unleashes €505m of public funds to quell protests and ward off Sinn Féin no-confidence motion

Sun, 12 Apr, 2026

Café owned by partner of blocked Foynes Port CEO delivered food to protesters

Café owned by partner of blocked Foynes Port CEO delivered food to protesters

Post saying 'shame on the Irish Government' was accompanied by video of two women in a Delish van dropping 'hot tea and sammiches for these hardworking men of Ireland'

Fri, 10 Apr, 2026

Greece set to ban social media for under-15s from 2027

Greece set to ban social media for under-15s from 2027

Children spending long hours in front of screens do not allow their minds ⁠to rest, says prime minister

Wed, 08 Apr, 2026

Terry Prone: Acceptability of a prank depends upon status of the victim, if there is one

S Terry Prone: Acceptability of a prank depends upon status of the victim, if there is one

An April Fools’ Day joke like the US police force who put 'Goat Unit' on its Canine Department van was funny, caused a lot of double-takes, and didn’t harm either the dogs or the goats

Mon, 06 Apr, 2026

We're in a scrolling pandemic — here's what happened when I swapped my phone for a book

We're in a scrolling pandemic — here's what happened when I swapped my phone for a book

A year ago, Simon Tierney banned phone scrolling from his daily two-hour bus commute. He reports back on how it is going, and talks to other commuters who say you can turn the daily drudgery into a positive experience

Sun, 05 Apr, 2026

Children sitting on windowsill and ignoring real life immersed in their cell phones

Australian government accuses Meta, TikTok and Google of disobeying social media ban

Nearly 70% of under-16s with accounts on Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok had maintained access, survey found

Tue, 31 Mar, 2026

Pupils being influenced by online content

Social media ban for under-16s ‘not the right approach’, says Google boss

Growing calls for governments to stop children having access to social media

Tue, 31 Mar, 2026

EU votes to stop allowing social media platforms detect child sex abuse material

EU votes to stop allowing social media platforms detect child sex abuse material

European Parliament vote prioritises data privacy over child safety, according to Noeline Blackwell of the Children’s Rights Alliance

Sun, 29 Mar, 2026

Gambling sites with ‘fake’ licences are targeting Irish users — and influencers are helping promote them

Gambling sites with ‘fake’ licences are targeting Irish users — and influencers are helping promote them

Offshore operators and social media influencers are driving the rise of unregulated gambling platforms among Irish users

Sat, 28 Mar, 2026

Have we finally reached the 'Big Tobacco moment' for Big Tech?

Finally, a legal argument has pierced the protective shield Big Tech has been given by the three-decade-old Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (1996), writes Alex Cooney

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026

Young girl relax with her smartphone on a sofa

Irish Examiner view: YouTube and Meta verdict could see tide turning on harmful social media

A court in LA may be doing what legislators have hesitated to attempt: Holding social media companies directly accountable for the consequences of their design choices

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Landmark US social media ruling a 'turning point in children's online safety'

The lawsuit, over social media’s alleged harm to young people, was the first of its kind to go to trial

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds

Jury in Los Angeles awards plaintiff damages of $6m, with Meta to pay 70% and YouTube the remainder

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Social media,Social, media, Marketing, Thailand, Social Media, Engagement, Post - Structure,

Suzanne Harrington: Private human moments now fair game online

Our emotions are now commodities, to be harvested, manipulated, and sold back to us

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

Mobile phone use for children and teenagers

Social media use linked to mental health problems in children

Research by Imperial College London finds those who spend more than three hours a day on platforms more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression as teenagers

Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

Stolen Credit Cards

Europol sting shuts down over 373,000 dark web sites

Many of the sites claimed to be selling child sexual abuse material

Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

Do you name these figures to your children? The questions raised by Louis Theroux’s Inside the Manosphere

Do you name these figures to your children? The questions raised by Louis Theroux’s Inside the Manosphere

Louis Theroux’s latest documentary reveals how online influencers package misogyny, build audiences, and convert young followers into paying customers

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

A child using smart phone lying in bed

'Social media apps exposing young people to addictive algorithms, sexual violence, and gambling'

Medical conference hears call for 'stricter online regulation'

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Doctor writing a medical prescription

Diary of a Gen Z Student: Don’t buy whatever online course influencers are selling — going to the GP is in

Don’t let the influencers convince you that you should only want your body to function the way it naturally does

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026