In an opinion piece for the Irish Examiner, Dr Eileen Culloty of the ADAPT Centre at DCU argues that technology companies have successfully convinced the public and policymakers that harmful recommendation feeds cannot be switched off. She contends that these algorithms are deliberate design choices that prioritise engagement by amplifying fear and outrage.
Despite public support, an EU court ruling and political consensus in Ireland to disable such features by default, Dr Culloty argues that meaningful change has yet to occur. She attributes this in part to the influence of major technology companies and raises concerns about the ability of democratic institutions to regulate documented online harms.
Read the full article here.
