Ireland South candidate Cynthia Ní Mhurchú complains to watchdog over online abuse on X

Ms Ní Mhurchú says she is regularly subject to abuse and called a 'stupid bitch' on the social media platform

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said X was hiding behind the concept of free speech while allowing racist and harmful content to be published on its platform. Picture: Gareth Chaney

A complaint has been lodged with Ireland’s media regulator against X, formerly Twitter, by a European elections candidate who says she is regularly subject to abuse and called a “stupid bitch” on the social media platform.

Ireland South hopeful Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said X had clear responsibilities under the Digital Services Act, which it is ignoring, and has brought a complaint to Ireland’s watchdog Coimisiún na Meán.

As well as abuse she said she had faced, the Fianna Fáil candidate said she reported comments on the page of other candidates which X has failed to remove, which includes offensive, racist, misogynist, and sometimes illegal, content.

“The offending content is there for all to see,” Ms Ní Mhurchú said. “It is not hidden. It is fuelling the far right and racist groupings and is an affront to any decent-minded person.” 

It comes as Fine Gael’s director of elections for the local elections Damien English said the party’s candidates who come from immigrant backgrounds had been threatened and intimidated while canvassing, while being subject to sustained harassment online.

“Some candidates have been told to ‘f**k off back where you came from’ while they canvass or just go about their daily business,” he said. “While other candidates have also experienced fake social media accounts being set up to discredit them.

Family members have been threatened, children have been identified in school and harassed, homes of migrant candidates have been targeted and eggs thrown at them. All of this is utterly reprehensible and we cannot accept that this is how modern Ireland has evolved.

Experiences of harassment and abuse have been reported by candidates across the political spectrum in the run-up to next months’ elections.

Independent councillor Tania Doyle said she feared for her life when she and her husband were attacked putting up posters, Louth Labour councillor Pio Smith had a knife pulled on him in Drogheda, while Solidarity-People Before Profit candidate Ruth Coppinger had a swastika cut into an image of her face on a poster.

Ms Ní Mhurchu said X was hiding behind the concept of free speech while allowing racist and harmful content to be published on its platform.

Her complaint to Coimisiún na Meán argues it should force X to comply with the rules set out under the Digital Services Act or face strict penalties. 

Under the act, fines can amount to up to 6% of a company’s global turnover for breaches. It’s understood Ms Ní Mhurchú lodged the complaint with the media regulator on Tuesday.

In a statement, Coimisiún na Meán said it did not publicly comment on individual queries or complaints to its contact centre.

“Online abuse can disincentivise people, especially women and members of minority groups, from participating in public life,” a spokesperson said.

"When people see illegal content online, they should always report it to the platform where they see it.” 

If the platform does not respond, or if  someone is unhappy with the response, they should get in touch with Coimisiún na Mean’s contact centre which can guide them on the next steps they can take, the spokesperson added.

X has been contacted for comment.