AI algorithms pushing content 'romanticising' suicide to children, Oireachtas Committee hears
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
David MacRedmond | The Journal
Social media algorithms are increasingly exposing children to harmful content, including material that romanticises suicide, a concern highlighted in a recent Oireachtas committee meeting in Ireland. Experts, including those from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Cyber Safe Kids, criticised the role of AI-driven Recommender Systems in curating and promoting such extreme content to vulnerable young users, underscoring the urgent need for better protections for children online. The committee discussed the extortion of minors by cybercriminals leveraging social engineering tactics, a growing threat exacerbated by AI technologies that enable the creation of digital images without children's consent. Concerns were raised about the lack of child-specific considerations in AI policy development, with calls for legislation and regulatory frameworks that prioritise children's safety and rights.
While acknowledging AI's potential for protecting children from harmful online content, experts stressed the necessity of legislative, educational, and innovative responses to address the multifaceted challenges presented by AI and social media.