New Bill launched aiming to turn off recommender algorithms for children in Ireland

People Before Profit-Solidarity have launched a new bill to turn off recommender algorithms for children in Ireland and ensure that recommender algorithms based on personal data have to be actively turned on by adults.

Paul Murphy TD said, "Toxic social media content is driving an epidemic of mental health problems among young people, with anxiety, self harm, eating disorders and online addiction all spiralling."

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He goes on to say that "Parents are worried about the impact of toxic social media content on their children and women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ people are put at risk by the role of recommender algorithms in spreading misogyny, racism, homophobia and transphobia. Three-quarters of the public believe that there should be stronger regulation of social media algorithms."

Dr. Johnny Ryan, of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and director of Enforce, said, "All parties should be gravely concerned by social media recommender algorithms. They push self-harm and suicide in to children’s social feeds, and artificially amplify extremism and political polarisation."

Niamh McDonald, Hope and Courage Collective said, "We know that people’s real lives are affected by what plays out online. Right now social media and video platforms recommend illegal, hateful and violent content for people to see.

It is a business model that prioritises emotionally manipulative content through algorithms that drive sharing and engagement. This distorts what people believe to be true, manipulates emotions and heightens tensions, and in cases breaks laws."