Tag: #disinformation

Digital News Report Ireland 2025

A majority of Irish people are either extremely or very interested in news, according to the annual Digital News Report Ireland 2025, published today by Coimisiún na Meán. Research for the Digital News Report is undertaken by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford and analysis of the Irish data is provided by the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo).

The Irish Report, which is in its eleventh year, shows that most people in Ireland (56%) across all age groups are interested in news. This represents the highest level of interest in news since 2022, up 3 points from last year, but down from a peak of 70% in 2021, during the Covid pandemic. This enthusiasm for news puts Irish audiences ahead of their UK (39%) and US (51%) counterparts and ahead of the European average (45%).

When asked about trusted sources of news, RTÉ News (72%), local radio news (72%) and local newspapers (71%) emerge as the most trusted brands, underlining the continued importance of both national and local news sources for Irish audiences.

Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán said: ‘’Coimisiún na Meán is delighted to offer our continued support to the Digital News Report Ireland, which reflects our commitment to a media landscape that consumers can trust, by supporting access to high-quality sources of news and information.

Whether watching, listening, streaming, or reading, the Digital News Report shows that most Irish people can’t get enough of news. It is encouraging to see that interest in news remains high in Ireland when compared internationally, even as the formats used to consume news continue to change. We are heartened to see the continuing trend of the Irish public’s unique and longstanding relationship with radio, which remains a cornerstone of Ireland’s media landscape. It is also important to see the trust Irish people place in local news sources, with local radio and local newspapers among the most trusted brands for Irish audiences.

While the Report gives us cause for optimism about the Irish news sector, considering the public’s strong appetite for news, we recognise that An Coimisiún’s ambition of developing and shaping a media landscape that reflects who we are as a society requires ongoing and sustainable levels of funding for media outlets to support high-quality journalism, and news that people can trust.’’

Key findings from this year’s Report include:

Interest in news – Interest in news in Ireland remains robust compared to other countries. 22% of Irish people say they are ‘extremely interested’ in news, with 34% saying they are ‘very interested’ and 33% saying they are ‘somewhat interested’. Just 3% say they are ‘not at all interested’ in news.

Trust in news – Overall, Irish audiences trust news more when compared to other countries. When asked if they trust the news most of the time, 50% of respondents in Ireland ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’, compared to 35% in the UK, 30% in the US and 39% for merged data from Europe.

Trust in brands – Traditional news outlets continue to perform well when Irish audiences are asked about their trust in brands. RTÉ News (72%), local or regional radio (72%), and local or regional newspapers (71%) are the most trusted brands. 70% of Irish respondents described the Irish Times as trustworthy, with the same percentage for BBC News, 68% for the Irish Independent and 66% for each of Newstalk, Today FM and Sky News.

Source of News – When asked which platforms you have used in the last week as a source of news, 58% of Irish respondents said television, with the same percentage (58%) citing online media (excluding social media and blogs). 47% say they have used social media as a source of news in the last week, with 36% saying radio, 22% saying printed newspapers, 12% saying podcasts and 5% citing AI chatbots.

Paying for News – The Report shows that 20% of people in Ireland are now paying for news, up from 7% in 2015 and a 3-point increase from last year. When asked if they have had a paid subscription/membership to a digital news service in the last year, the two frontrunners among Irish audiences are the Irish Independent (36%) and the Irish Times (33%).

Radio and Podcasts – In 2025, 11% of Irish respondents say they use radio as their primary source of news, which is significantly higher compared to the UK (8%), US (3%) or the European average (7%). When asked about the use of radio as a source of any news consumed, this figure increases to 36%. Irish audiences are also on-board with podcasts, with 12% listening to podcasts as a source of news in the last week, higher than in the UK (7%) and the European average (9%) but lower than the US (15%).

Artificial Intelligence – Audiences’ attitudes to the use of AI for news are changing. Last year, those ‘very’ and ‘somewhat’ comfortable with news mainly produced by AI with some human oversight were 15%. This has increased to 19% this year, with under-35s almost twice as comfortable as over-35s when considering the same measure.

 Disinformation and Misinformation – When asked for their thoughts about online news, 68% of Irish respondents say they are concerned about what is real and what is fake on online. All age cohorts show concern about fake information online, with the highest rate (72%) among those aged 65+ and the lowest rate (62%) among those aged 18-24.

Commenting on the Digital News Report Ireland 2025, Dr. Eileen Culloty, Deputy Director of the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo) said: ‘’Local media enjoy strong public trust, an indication of their deep roots in Irish life. But trust alone doesn’t pay salaries or sustain newsrooms. The big challenge is to convert trust into viable careers in local journalism so that local media can continue informing communities.”

Earlier this year, Coimisiún na Meán awarded €5.7 million through new Journalism Schemes, funded by the Department of Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport and which covered Local Democracy and Courts Reporting. These Schemes have to date facilitated over 100 new or enhanced journalism roles in Ireland. By the end of this year, An Coimisiún will have run the second round of those Schemes, as well as two new Journalism Schemes, covering Digital Transformation and News Reporting.

The Digital News Report Ireland 2025 can be found on the Coimisiún na Meán website.

International Cybersecurity Expert to Explore the Disruptive Danger of Disinformation in the Age of AI at Public Lecture

Trinity College Dublin and the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre today announced an upcoming visit of internationally renowned expert in cybersecurity, Professor David J. Hickton of the University of Pennsylvania, in March. Professor Hickton will deliver a public lecture titled: “The Disruptive Danger of Disinformation in the Age of AI” on Wednesday 5th March at 5pm in the Swift Theatre in Trinity College Dublin’s Arts Building.  The event is free and open to the public.  Registration here: https://forms.gle/rSNvsQaJXaccQpd66

Professor Hickton, a former U.S. Attorney and Founding Director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security, will deliver this lecture as part of his March visit to Trinity College Dublin. During his time in Dublin, he will also engage with faculty, researchers, and students along with policymakers and other stakeholders through workshops, guest lectures, and roundtable discussions. During his visit, Professor Hickton will also assume the role of Adjunct Professor in the School of Computer Science and Statistics at Trinity College Dublin.

This timely public lecture will examine the pervasive influence of disinformation in an era defined by rapid technological advances and the rise of generative AI. Professor Hickton will explore the historical roots of disinformation, its role in undermining trust in institutions and science, and the urgent need for global cooperation to address these challenges. The lecture will also discuss potential pathways to address this growing crisis, balancing free speech with the urgent need for regulation.

Professor Hickton’s visit builds on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed last year between Trinity and the University of Pittsburgh, establishing a partnership to drive innovation in AI safety and governance. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to addressing the complex challenges of the digital age,” said Professor John Kelleher, Director of ADAPT. “We are honoured to welcome Professor Hickton to Dublin and look forward to the rich insights and contributions he will bring.”

To learn more about Professor David Hickton and his work, please visit: https://www.cyber.pitt.edu/people/david-j-hickton-jd

New EU project focusses on fighting online manipulation and interference

Researchers from ADAPT, Dr. Brendan Spillane (UCD) and Prof. Owen Conlan (TCD), have announced their involvement in a new Horizon Europe project named ATHENA. This €3.1 million Horizon Europe project, titled “An exposition on THe forEign informatioN mAnipulation and interference,” aims to detect and analyse disinformation associated with Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). The work of the ATHENA project is crucial for the protection of democratic processes in Europe in light of recent FIMI campaigns using disinformation and the surge in cyber-attacks originating from countries like Russia and China.

The project’s primary goal is to understand the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures employed by perpetrators in these activities and to provide policymakers and stakeholders with ATHENA the necessary tools for combating FIMI and disinformation. This will enable the project to develop countermeasures and evaluate their impact.

ADAPT researchers contributions to ATHENA include in depth case study explorations of known FIMI campaigns in Europe, the creation of a FIMI detection platform including a toolbox for analysis, a knowledge graph to store the data, and a dynamic dashboard to enable European policy makers to monitor FIMI activities to devise effective counter-strategies. ATHENA will additionally conduct a comparative legal and regulatory analysis of how eight EU Member States address FIMI, identifying areas where policy enhancement is feasible. The consortium will devise an accessible questionnaire for public utilisation, enabling individuals to recognise encounters with FIMI in their daily lives.

Dr Brendan Spillane highlighted ADAPT’s significant experience of research into disinformation: “The research being undertaken by ADAPT researchers in ATHENA builds on their coordination from another Horizon Europe VIGILANT project (https://www.vigilantproject.eu/) which will equip European Police Authorities with technology to detect, analyse and combat disinformation linked to criminal activities, and a previous H2020 project called PROVENANCE which developed technology to warn end users of disinformation when using the Internet or social media.

Engagement with stakeholders is a key aspect of the project, as ATHENA will engage a diverse range of stakeholders in interviews and workshops. Additionally, ATHENA will focus on knowledge dissemination and training in universities and schools, amplifying widespread awareness of FIMI and fostering defences against it.

Dr. David Wright from Trilateral Research, coordinator of the Project said: “The ATHENA project is not just a response to current threats but a proactive step towards a more secure digital future for Europe”.

“Disinformation spread as part of FIMI campaigns has the potential to negatively impact societal values and undermine political processes. ATHENA will develop advanced AI-informed countermeasures and playbooks to help policy makers combat FIMI.”, said Prof. Owen Conlan from Trinity College Dublin and ADAPT.

ATHENA involves 14 partners including Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH, Greece), the University of Cyprus (UCY), the Bavarian Police Academy (Germany), the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Fundació Eurecat (Spain), Storyzy (France), Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), the European Organisation for Security (Belgium), Maldita (Spain), EU-Disinfo (Belgium) and University College Dublin (Ireland).

Social Media Council will help Ireland Combat Online Disinformation, say Experts. #KeepItReal #Article19

ARTICLE 19, an international organisation that works to defend and promote freedom of expression and access to information throughout the world, concluded its #KeepItReal campaign with a virtual event exploring the impact of online disinformation on freedom of expression in Ireland.

The campaign started a conversation with young people in Ireland to ensure their voices are heard in debates around “fake news” and how decisions are made about what is allowed on social media.

Joined by young people from all over the country, expert speakers David Kaye, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Aoife Grace Moore, Political Correspondent at the Irish Examiner, Siobhan Cummiskey, Director of Public Policy, Campaigns and Programmes EMEA at Facebook, and Pierre François Docquir, Head of Media Freedom at ARTICLE 19 explored topics such as the role of government and social and traditional media’s responsibility to counter harmful disinformation while protecting free speech online.

ARTICLE 19 also spoke on the organisation’s proposal to establish a Social Media Council (SMC) in Ireland.

Inspired by the experience of press councils, this proposed self-regulatory mechanism would be the first initiative of its kind and would fit within the legal framework of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill, currently under consideration. It will be a forum where measures to deal with disinformation and other problematic content can be discussed, fine-tuned, assessed or reviewed.

As the SMC is envisioned to enable broad participation from social media companies, media and civil society among others, it would also be used as a forum to elaborate a common understanding, not only about the types of content that should be moderated but also about the appropriate and realistic technical approaches to moderation. It would provide an appeals mechanism where users would have access to an independent, external body that can make decisions on disputes related to content moderation. The decisions would be based on international human rights law in order to preserve the right to freedom of expression and other fundamental rights.

Speaking on the need to protect freedom of expression, keynote speaker, former UN Special Rapporteur of Expression and ARTICLE 19 board Member David Kaye said: “Disinformation, when amplified at the scale possible on social media, threatens the public’s ability to sort fact from fiction. And yet government action to counter it, particularly but not only in authoritarian environments, threatens freedom of expression itself. We need to develop mechanisms to address this vast problem without undermining fundamental rights, and social media councils provide one innovative way to do so.”

“At the root of the Social Media Council is the idea that we don’t necessarily want government to be telling companies or individuals what is or is not appropriate speech. However, we do want transparency, because social media platforms are incredibly opaque, so we know very little about how they make content moderation decisions about what’s appropriate on their platforms. We want tools that allow for a public grievance… but also most importantly, providing a kind of civil society, human rights orientation to decision making around online content. This is the thrust behind Social Media Councils and the thrust behind public ownership behind these kinds of decisions and these kinds of questions around platforms. These are hard questions. They are in some respects some of the biggest, most important for our democracies in a digital age.”

Pierre François Docquir, Head of Media Freedom at ARTICLE 19, said : “To make informed decisions on any particular case of content moderation, a robust understanding of the local context is absolutely necessary : the language – the languages, even – the culture, the politics, the history… Social Media Councils at the national level provide a space where local voices can be heard in relation to content moderation decisions that impact them. SMCs also provide a space where all local stakeholders can collectively design balanced and flexible approaches to content moderation issues, such as disinformation.”

“Ireland has been the ideal place for this campaign, and we believe a Social Media Council would work very well here.  Not only does Ireland host the headquarters of social media companies in Europe and have a successful history of self-regulation with the likes of the ASAI and the Press Council, but it is also in the middle of a vibrant and ground-breaking debate on platform regulation and online safety with the current consideration of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill and the formation of the Media and Online Safety Commission. We believe the SMC could work well within the future regulatory framework in Ireland.”

“I was extremely pleased to see the interest of young people throughout the country during the span of this campaign. They have seen the recent, real world effects of disinformation first-hand with the false narratives around the pandemic and the vaccine continuing to threaten public health, so this really is an interesting and fascinating time. At ARTICLE 19, we’re very grateful for their involvement in the campaign, and we believe they deserve the opportunity to have a voice in the debates about content moderation. “

KeepItReal Campaign Launched To Tackle Disinformation Online. #KeepItReal #Article19

ARTICLE 19, an international organisation that works to defend and promote freedom of expression and access to information throughout the world, has today announced the official launch of #KeepItReal, a campaign on disinformation and freedom of expression in Ireland.

It has arguably never been as important as it is today, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the public to be aware of how online disinformation may be an obstacle to access accurate and reliable sources of information that may affect their rights.

In Ireland, research from FuJo – the Institute for Future Media and Journalism – and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland shows that so far social media companies have not done enough to counter the spread of disinformation on their platforms. In this climate, the campaign #KeepItReal aims at empowering young adults in Ireland to articulate their views on how to counter disinformation and protect their right to free speech in the framework of the ongoing debate on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill.

Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Pierre François Docquir, Head of Media Freedom at ARTICLE 19 said: “ARTICLE 19 has long been speaking on these issues with legal and policy experts but the debate on such important matters should really belong to the general public. This is the challenge that we are tackling with the group of ambassadors. I don’t think we could have picked a better place than Ireland to launch this type of work.

“Not only is Ireland the headquarters of social media companies in Europe, it is also in the middle of a vibrant and ground-breaking debate on platform regulation and online safety with the current drafting of an Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill and the formation of the Media and Online Safety Commission.

“The challenges posed by COVID-19 have highlighted the importance of these debates, so this really is an interesting and fascinating time. Disinformation about COVID-19 remains a threat to public health and with the prospect of a vaccine on the horizon, it is vital we remain constantly vigilant where we source our news from.

“Our ambassadors are a part of a generation that are not only highly engaged with the digital evolution of the media, who have witnessed the rise of the Internet, but they are also very aware of both the rich opportunities for expression and risks for privacy that social media presents. I am already very impressed by their engagement and am looking forward to seeing the substantial contributions made by this campaign.”

A group of young adults aged 18-25 years old from across the country will lead a discussion among their peers about how a pluralistic and tolerant society – one that listens to different perspectives, encourages dialogue and treats people equally – should respond to the issues of disinformation and regulation of social media. Well-known Irish artists, including Dublin based illustrator Fuchsia MacAree, are collaborating with ARTICLE 19 to represent through their artwork how disinformation is affecting young people’s right to freedom of expression in Ireland.

ARTICLE 19 Ambassador Laura Bartley, from Louth, said: “Although people my age are very active on social media and came of age with the rise of the internet, we still risk falling foul of disinformation, especially nowadays in relation to COVID-19 and vaccination. I want to do my part to make sure the young people of Ireland are equipped with the tools to make informed and safe decisions.

“During my studies, I was really interested in the impact of technology on human rights, democracy and violent extremism and knew I had something to offer to the discussion. My generation understands the long-lasting impact of the Online Safety and Media Regulations Bill and we will be the ones most affected by these discussions”.

Fellow Ambassador Ruairí Harrison, from Dublin, added: “As a passionate free speech advocate, I joined ARTICLE 19 as a youth ambassador in order to help highlight disinformation issues in Ireland and promote the broader democratic benefits of informed public debate on divisive issues. In the recent months during the pandemic, I have seen first-hand how rapidly disinformation can spread, and fragile Ireland is to the threats it poses. We can only act as citizens if we have access to reliable information.

“It is vital we make our voices heard and empower young people throughout Ireland to understand how to recognise when we are being misled. We really have the opportunity to make a real difference with this campaign, not only in Ireland, but throughout the world. I am excited to get started!”

Through this campaign, ARTICLE 19 is advocating for the establishment of an Irish Social Media Council. This self-regulatory mechanism, inspired by the experience of press councils, would provide an open, transparent and accountable forum to address content moderation issues – such as disinformation – on social media platforms. This initiative in Ireland is the first of its kind run by ARTICLE 19.

Learn more about the campaign: https://www.article19.org/campaigns/keep-it-real/ and join the #KeepItReal conversation on social media.