Social media concerns relayed by Carrigaline residents

Carrigaline residents have joined the campaign to urge European Commissioner for Justice and Democracy Michael McGrath to turn off social media recommender systems.

Campaigners from Uplift, Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Hope and Courage Collective spoke to residents in Carrigaline, who expressed concerns about the algorithm that pushes dangerous content into their social media feeds.

In his role as EU Commissioner, Cork man Mr McGrath will be responsible for the forthcoming EU Democracy Shield. 

The EU Democracy Shield aims to counter foreign information manipulation and interference, preserve fairness and integrity of elections, support independent media and journalists, as well as protect civil society.

Campaigners say the EU Democracy Shield must turn off the recommender algorithm by default so users see content from people they have chosen to follow.

A new Ireland Thinks Poll, jointly commissioned by Hope and Courage Collective, Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Uplift, shows that people in Cork are more concerned than the Irish average about the harms caused by social media recommender systems.

Among the key findings in the poll include that 80% in Cork worry about content that scares or harms children being pushed into their social media feeds, compared to 74% nationally. 

82% in Cork are concerned about lies, propaganda or conspiracy content being pushed into their or other people’s social media feeds, compared to 79% nationally.

Meanwhile, 69% in Cork want social media recommender algorithms switched off so they only see posts from accounts they choose, compared to 68% nationally.

Siobhán O’Donoghue, director of Uplift, said that the people of Cork see the damage that recommender systems are doing to young people and whole communities.

“Turning them off by default is a common sense step that would make the online world safer for all of us."

Edel McGinley director of Hope and Courage Collective added:

"We hear every day from people who feel worn down by the way online platforms push lies, hatred and harmful content into their lives. 

"These systems take advantage of people’s fears and make divisions worse.

“People in Cork are clear that they want change. Commissioner McGrath now has an opportunity to put their voices at the centre of Europe’s response to keeping us safe online.”