Maeve McTaggart

X ‘ignored’ and Microsoft declined invitations to appear before Oireachtas committee on AI deepfake concerns Social media platform X has “ignored” an invitation to appear before an Oireachtas committee on artificial intelligence, while tech giant Microsoft turned it down.

Last month, X refused to appear before an Oireachtas committee in the aftermath of the Grok scandal.

Today, it “ignored” an invitation to attend a hearing on concerns around AI-generated deepfakes.

Despite the Houses of the Oireachtas using Microsoft products, Microsoft also refused the invite.

From Snapchat to Tinder – new figures reveal the millions spent by government departments on social media ads Government departments have spent millions on social media advertising and campaigns over the last 10 years, but have cut down on their use of X for ads almost entirely.

From Snapchat to Tinder – new figures reveal the millions spent by government departments on social media ads over the last ten years

‘A critical juncture in the history of the internet’ – Google executives to address AI deepfake risks at Oireachtas committee The Data Protection Commissioner will tell an Oireachtas committee today there has been a “six-fold increase” in its engagement relating to artificial intelligence (AI) in the last five years.

Google executives will tell TDs and senators this morning that we have reached a “critical juncture in the history of the internet” as the regulator says we may need more laws to tackle AI deepfakes

Almost 600 breaches of rules on sunbed use recorded in last two years as HSE takes 21 cases to court There have been almost 600 breaches of the rules around sunbeds in the last two years, including their use by children under the age of 18 and businesses not providing information about the health ris...

Almost 600 breaches of rules around sunbeds have been recorded in last two years — including the use of sunbeds by children and businesses not warning customers about the health risks

Taoiseach must show Ireland does not ‘bow down to bullies’ on White House visit, says Social Democrats leader Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has said Taoiseach Micheál Martin must show Ireland does “not bow down to bullies” when he visits US President Donald Trump in the White House next month.

Taoiseach must show Ireland does not “bow down to bullies” on White House visit, says Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns.

She has also committed to drafting a bill that would give people “copyright-like” ownership over their likeness to tackle deepfake images.

Maeve McTaggart: After all the talk of left alliances, it’s decision time for Soc Dems and their popular leader Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has gathered her party and its membership in her home county of Cork this weekend, where it will consider how far and how fast it can push the wheels of their prog...

At the SocDems national conference in Cork this weekend, where the party is working out where to go next - and whether a united-left alliance will take them to a stint in government any time soon.

Holly Cairns has always said the party will talk to all others after any election.

‘This is Ireland, this is our jurisdiction’ – key moments as TDs scrutinise social media executives Social media executives from TikTok, Google and Meta have said their rival X should have joined them at an Oireachtas committee hearing today.

X's refusal to attend, a row over a "concerning" lack of Irish data and the conditions two social media platforms attached to their presence at an Oireachtas committee yesterday...

The HSE owns almost 200 vacant buildings across the country, with the portfolio spanning some of the State’s former psychiatric hospitals to €1m red-brick homes in Cork.

www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

Tánaiste vows ‘clampdown’ on deepfake finance scams amid rise in AI-generated ads The Government is planning a crackdown on deepfake ads and “finfluencers”, with new EU-wide measures set to tackle a rise in online financial fraud.

Anyone advertising financial services online will now have to prove to the social media platform that they’re regulated in a new bid to crack down on AI deepfake ads touting crypto and other money-making schemes

Children are being targeted online with ‘more sinister forms of exploitation’, committee to hear Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis will tell TDs and senators today how children are being targeted online with “more sinister forms of exploitation” through social media and gaming platforms.

A senior garda has set out how children are being targeted online with “more sinister forms of exploitation” through social media and gaming platforms.

A conversation on online safety comes as Tánaiste Simon Harris said he would back a social media ban for u16s.

From no-shows to unsolicited phone calls – the key moments from Rowing Ireland’s Oireachtas Committee appearance The chief executive of Rowing Ireland did not attend an Oireachtas committee hearing into the safeguarding of high-performance athletes at the organisation in what was described as an “extraordinary m...

A tense encounter between Rowing Ireland, Sport Ireland and the Oireachtas Committee on Sport yesterday… or as chair Alan Kelly put it: “an extraordinary meeting before it even started.”

www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

AI minister Niamh Smyth says social media platforms could be treated as ‘publishers’ amid concerns over X’s Grok AI minister Niamh Smyth has said she does not trust social media platform X after concerns were raised that its AI tool Grok could still be used to digitally “undress” people online.

AI minister Niamh Smyth has told TDs and senators that she doesn’t currently trust X — and that she found the perspective on Grok offered by platform executives to be “skewed” when she met them earlier this month.

The 18-foot-high walls around the site will be familiar to local residents - but it has been largely inaccessible to the public since it was built almost 200 years ago.

‘We’re ready to go’ – inside the old Central Mental Hospital site set to become almost 1,000 homes The chief executive of the Land Development Agency has said work to deliver almost 1,000 homes at the site of the former Central Mental Hospital will begin next month – even if another judicial review...

Almost 1,000 homes on the site of the Central Mental Hospital have been delayed for 2+ years (and increased in cost by ~€30m) after a judicial review was taken.

Now with new permission, the LDA has said it is going ahead - even if another challenge is brought.

Publicans ‘filling up their cars with customers and driving them home’ amid taxi shortage, Dáil committee to hear Some publicans are driving customers home at closing time because of a lack of taxis in rural areas, a Dáil committee will hear today.

Some rural publicans have to load up their cars at closing time to bring customers home due to a shortage of taxis.

The sector says it is under increased strain and is calling on Government for more regulation, especially as taxi apps grow ⬇️

Gráinne Seoige to tell Oireachtas that AI sexualised images ‘will be abuse scandal of the 21st century’, if action not taken Gráinne Seoige will tell TDs and senators that AI-generated sexualised images “will be the abuse scandal of the 21st century” if urgent action is not taken.

Sexualised AI-generated deepfakes “will be the abuse scandal of the 21st century” if urgent action is not taken, with Gráinne Seoige set to tell an Oireachtas committee that many women and girls have hit “dead ends” in their complaints despite reporting content to platforms and gardaí.

Maeve McTaggart: What does Australia’s social media ‘ban’ for under-16s mean – and should Ireland have one too? A social media “ban” for under-16s will be watched closely when it comes into effect in Australia this week, but there are concerns it is merely a solution “that gives comfort to adults” – and one tha...

www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

A lot was said about the role podcasts played in the US election — can give a candidate access to a whole demographic they won’t reach through radio/posters/debates + show a side voters may not see otherwise.

Connolly is the only one to get it so far with Blindboy and James Kavanagh pods this week.

Biggest spender on social media ads revealed as presidential campaigns try to reach voters Presidential candidates have less than two weeks to promote themselves on Facebook and ­Instagram due to parent company Meta ending political advertising halfway through the election campaign.

Less than 2⃣ weeks into the presidential election, Facebook and Instagram will join the platforms ending political ads - meaning campaigns need to get smarter about reaching voters online.

Humphreys has so far outspent Connolly x12 and Gavin x6 on Meta ads.
m.independent.ie/irish-news/b...

The next stop is Dublin City… and Cork City, Galway City, Laois, Longford, Kildare and Roscommon. All on Monday.

Some may need to get strategic about where they give their presidential pitch for #Aras25. The roads from Cork to Galway to Dublin are good, but they’re not that good.

Conor McGregor joins ‘a wheelbarrow’ and legal eagles in motley crew of Áras hopefuls trying council route to get on ballot Thirty-four presidential hopefuls plan to seek a nomination from local councils around the country over the next two weeks, including businessman Gareth Sheridan, MMA fighter Conor McGregor and conser...

Gareth Sheridan and Maria Steen left Fingal empty-handed last night. They are 2 of ~35 people looking for cllrs backing for the Áras…

www.independent.ie/opinion/anal... Conor McGregor joins ‘a wheelbarrow’ and legal eagles in motley crew of Áras hopefuls trying council route to get on ballot