Social Media

The European Commission has launched investigations into Google owner Alphabet, Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The non-compliance investigations announced yesterday will scrutinise Alphabet's rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple's rules

TikTok faces a ban in the United States, where the video-sharing platform has over 170 million users, under legislation backed by the US House of Representatives. The proposed Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act would see the platform banned unless there is a chan

The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether TikTok may have breached the new Digital Services Act (DSA). The move marks the first enforcement action under the landmark DSA, which came into force on Saturday.

A judge has permitted a mass case to proceed against Facebook owner Meta that argues it abused its position. The case, which could be worth up to £3 billion, has been brought by legal academic Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen, on behalf of 45 million Facebook users.

Almost three-quarters of people in the State think social media algorithms should be more strictly regulated, according to research commissioned by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Uplift. A new poll shows that 74 per cent want more regulation while 82 per cent are in favour of socia

The EU has opened formal proceedings against X, formerly Twitter, following concerns about disinformation, poor content moderation and other alleged breaches of the bloc's new digital services law. The announcement yesterday marks the first investigation of its kind under the landmark Digital Servic

Ireland's first draft online safety code should be treated as a model for Europe, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said. Coimisiún na Meán last week began consulting on the draft online safety code for video-sharing platform services, which sets out measures that design

The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has been ordered to impose a continent-wide ban on Meta's illegal processing of personal data for behavioural advertising on Facebook and Instagram. An urgent binding decision adopted by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) last Friday instructs the DPC to i

Dozens of US states have come together to launch legal proceedings against Meta, alleging that its Instagram and Facebook platforms are harmful to children and teenagers — which Meta denies. A federal lawsuit has been filed in northern California by a coalition of 33 attorneys general, while e

TikTok is facing a significant fine over its processing of children's data following a decision by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) launched an own-volition inquiry into TikTok's processing of personal data of registered users between the ages of

The Law Society of Ireland's latest free massive open online course (MOOC), dealing with social media and the law, commences today. The five-week course will focus on the Online Safety and Media Regulations Act 2022, online harassment, disinformation/fake news, cancel culture, data privacy, child sa

A record €1.2 billion fine is to be imposed on Facebook owner Meta following GDPR breaches related to personal data transfers between the EU/EEA and the US.

France is on the cusp of adopting new legislation to regulate influencers amid claims some promote financial scams, defective products and dodgy cosmetic procedures.

TikTok has been fined £12.7 million for a number of breaches of data protection law by the UK regulator, including failing to use children's personal data lawfully. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) estimates that TikTok allowed up to 1.4 million UK children under 13 to use its

Utah has become the first state in the US to give parents power over their children's social media in an attempt to stem the use of TikTok and Instagram. Signed by the Republican governor Spencer Cox, the measures grant parents full access to their kids' accounts — including private messages.