Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by EDMO Ireland

Dublin City University @dublincityuni.bsky.social · 23d

Over half of McGregor's presidential campaign posts on X filled with false claims and threats.
A report from @edmoireland.bsky.social and DCU has found that his rhetoric, amplified by Elon Musk, normalised misinformation during his bid.
Read more in @thejournal.ie: launch.dcu.ie/46nUi2j

6 13

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · 23d

Our report into McGregor's campaign also highlights the role Twittter/X's CEO Elon Musk has played in amplifying disinformation and provactive political rheotic about Irish politics and politicans

You can read our full report here:

edmohub.ie/index.php/ed...

EDMO Ireland Report Concludes McGregor’s Online Campaign Shows Risks of X to Irish Democracy

Conor McGregor’s short-lived presidential campaign spread misinformation, personal attacks, and extremist rhetoric to a global audience, according to a new report from EDMO Ireland. The study, From...

edmohub.ie

3

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · 23d

EDMO Ireland have released their review of Conor MCGregor's Online campaign for #Aras25.

McGregor's post about his Presidential ambitions included extremist rhetoric, conspiratoral framings, political disinformation which X/Twitter's fact checking system has failed to effectively intervene.

Conor McGregor’s short-lived presidential campaign spread misinformation, personal attacks, and extremist rhetoric to a global audience, according to a new report from EDMO Ireland.

The study, From Free Speech to Violent Rhetoric: Elon Musk’s X as a Threat to Electoral Integrity, examined 127 posts from McGregor’s X (formerly Twitter) account between January and September 2025. It found that:

58% of posts contained false claims about the Irish presidency, constitution, or history.
28% included ethnonationalist rhetoric, while others attacked government figures as “traitors” or enemies of the people.
At least six posts implied political violence, targeting migrants and public officials.
Platform safeguards failed: 23 posts attracted suggested fact-checks from X’s Community Notes, but none were activated.

The report highlights the role of Elon Musk, owner of X, who endorsed McGregor’s candidacy, engaged with his posts, and amplified misinformation about the Irish election process to his 226 million followe

1 1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · 26d

On Tuesday EDMO Ireland travelled to the beauitful DeValera library in Ennis, Co Clare to give a talk for #WorldMediaLiteracyWeek.

We will be hosting further media literacy workshops over the next few weeks, ahead of #Aras25, the Irish Presidential Elections on October 24th!

Slide for world media literacy week presentation.

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Sep 5

With the date for #Aras25 set, and the candidates lining nominations, we'd advise everyone to subscribe to our partner organisation's @thejournal.ie FactCheck newsletter.

This month they're looking at some of the fringe candidates, and a look back at previous Irish Presidental elections.

FactCheck: Sign up to The Journal's monthly newsletter about misinformation trends

See how we’re fighting back with quality information every month – and what’s happening in the wider world of disinformation.

www.thejournal.ie

1 1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Aug 14

In our increasingly polarised political landscape EDMO Ireland's Professor Eileen Culltoy, and her colleague Dr David Farrell argue that the solution lies in grassroots democratic outreach and more substantive citizen engagement in our political processes.

Opinion: As the presidential race begins, ordinary citizens must speak up for democratic principles

External funding, smear campaigns and bots have become familiar features of elections elsewhere

www.irishtimes.com

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Aug 8

Meta's recent announcement that it will follow Google's decision and ban political advertising on its platforms comes with significant implications for free speech and democracy in Europe. Sam Jefferies from @whotargets.me explores the problem and offers some solutions for EU policy makers.

How (and why) to fix political ads in the EU

Meta follows Google (and TikTok and Microsoft) and leaves the EU political advertising market. The damage will be significant.

fulldisclosure.whotargets.me

1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 30

Professor Eileen Culloty from EDMO Ireland sat down with The @dublininquirer.com's @shamimmalekmian.bsky.social to discuss how a provocative headlines can often negatively impact even a well written story, and look to how the media can and must do better.

Rising above a provocative headline, a woman asks the press to frame immigration stories with care

“I don’t want my story or the way my headline was written and the backlash it got to be a prime example for immigrants to not tell their stories,” says Sumyrah Khan.

www.dublininquirer.com

1 1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 28

A vicious attack on an India worker in Dublin last week has shone a light on how online disinformation is fuelling a wave violence againsit India migrants in Ireland.

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...

‘He kept saying: what wrong have I done? Why me?’ An Indian man is left stripped and bloodied on an Irish street

An apparently racially motivated attack in Tallaght has caused ‘outrage, fear and concern’ among the Indian community in Ireland. But it was not an isolated incident

www.irishtimes.com

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 25

@edmo-eu.bsky.social 's best of fact checking map for July is out now.

Claims that the Chinese 3 forges damn has "altered the earth's rotation" refuted by NASA.

Matroska propaganda campaign targetting Moldova.

And Hilary Clinton did not endorse Conor McGregor's bid for the Irish Presidency.

Best of Fact-checking Map – July 25′ – EDMO

edmo.eu

1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 21

As the Irish Presidental Election gets into gear, EDMO Ireland's fact checking partners at The Journal (@TJ_FactCheck) examines some of the claims surrounding the two announced candidates.

thejournal.ie/factcheck/ne...

FactFind: What happened when Mairead McGuinness voted against EU refugee rescue missions in 2019?
McGuinness and her fellow Fine Gael MEPs faced heavy criticism from opposition politicians at the time.

FactFind: What do we know about Catherine Connolly's visit to Syria in 2018?
Connolly says she did not “utter one word of support for Assad.”

2 2

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 17

This report underlines that disinformation is not an abstract threat to society, it can pose a direct threat to the public health of our most vunerable members.

Childhood vaccination rates below pre-pandemic levels

Childhood vaccination rates across Ireland remain below pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report.

www.rte.ie

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 17

Ireland had one of the highest uptakes for the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters (over 96%). But five years later the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) is now warning that vaccine uptake rates in Ireland for some preventable childhood diseases are falling below herd immunity levels.

1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 17

Childhood vaccination rates in Ireland remain below pre pandemic levels, with the fall in vaccination rates linked to the rise of online disinformation and misinformation about vaccine safety according to Professor Anne Moore from UCC.

Read more here....

Childhood vaccination rates below pre-pandemic levels

Childhood vaccination rates across Ireland remain below pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report.

www.rte.ie

1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 16

The June monthly fact check briefing by
@edmo-eu.bsky.social is out!

This month's main story; an unprecedented rise of AI generated disinformation about the war between Israel and Iran. With disinformation utilising AI generated images, videos, and articles contributing to the "fog of war".

Monthly fact-checking brief no. 49 is out – EDMO

edmo.eu

1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jul 8

EDMO Ireland were delighted to contribute to the Council of Europe's workshop on Countering Disinformation last week in Paris. Dr Culloty provided insight into a draft strategic document on counter disinformation and promoting information integrity.

#EUPolicy
#InternetPolicy
#CounterDisinformation

EDMO Ireland Contributes to Council of Europe Workshop on Countering Disinformation

On 04 July, Dr Eileen Culloty was invited to participate in an expert workshop at the Council of Europe. The workshop provided specialist insight into a draft strategic document on countering disinfor...

edmohub.ie

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · May 19

Our partners at TheJournal report on plans for factchecking under the EU's Democracy Shield. Factcheckers will play “a crucial role in verifying information and countering disinformation”. www.thejournal.ie/michael-mcgr...

Role of influencers to be considered under EU's 'democracy shield' plans

McGrath says a network of European fact-checkers is being established.

www.thejournal.ie

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · May 15

In Ireland, it's a false story about benefits for immigrants

1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · May 15

Based on 1.5k factchecks across the EU, the EDMO #factchecking brief identifies the stories with the most traction across the continent and within countries

1 1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · May 14

As part of a DCU in the Community series, Eileen Culloty delivered a #BeOnlineSmart talk in Ballymun library.

Participants took home their EDMO postcards and talked about the attention economy, platform design & online advertising.

Visit edmo.eu/beonlinesmar...

1

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Jan 13

Interesting report - by @alliance4europe.bsky.social - reveals that Big Tech platforms fail to uphold EU sanctions on Russian and Belarussian propaganda actors. They are "sanctioned by thriving". alliance4europe.eu/sanctioned-b...

2

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Dec 13

Researcher access to data is essential to understand online platforms. The EU is deciding how to support that.

Read the joint submission by the UCD Centre for Digital Policy and DCU FuJo (EDMO Ireland coordinator) here edmohub.ie/index.php/jo...

Joint submission on researcher access to platform data

DCU FuJo and the UCD Centre for Digital Policy have made a joint submission to the Public Consultation on the draft delegated act (article 40) on access to online platform data for vetted researchers ...

edmohub.ie

2

Reposted by EDMO Ireland

European Digital Media Observatory @edmo-eu.bsky.social · Dec 12

How is EDMO governed? Who serves on the Executive Board and Advisory Council? What are the mandates of each body?

Get to know us better at edmo.eu/about-us/edmoeu-governance/ and find our events on our public calendar – such as last week's EB meeting under an inspiring blue sky in Florence... 👋🏼🦋

In-Person Meeting of the EDMO Executive Board | Florence, 4 December 2024

2 7

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Nov 23

Meanwhile amid the exodus to Bluesky, only three parties are active here: "Fianna Fáil, People Before Profit and Fine Gael. But their reach just isn’t as good there as on established platforms yet – compare Fine Gael’s 958 (at the time of writing) Bluesky followers to the 62k it has on Twitter."

EDMO Ireland @edmoireland.bsky.social · Nov 23

Data gathered by @newswhip.bsky.social shows housing was the big issue of the week in terms of articles published.

1