EU Commission’s claim of far-right exploiting Irish language during Dublin riot challenged by Sinn Féin
In response, the EU Commission spokesperson clarified that although a shortage of fluent moderators could theoretically be exploited, there is no concrete evidence supporting this claim in the Dublin incident.
Sinn Féin has criticized the European Commission’s suggestion that far-right activists used the Irish language to avoid detection on social media during the recent Dublin riot. The Commission suggested a lack of Irish-speaking moderators allowed the spread of hate content.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh dismissed the idea, stating that the rioters had no interest in the Irish language. Later, the EU Commission spokesperson clarified that while a shortage of fluent moderators could be exploited, there was no evidence of it happening in this case. However, they emphasized the importance of having culturally aware and sufficiently staffed moderators.
Why does it matter?
Tech companies, including Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and X, have faced criticism for predominantly employing English-speaking moderators, as highlighted in a recent report by NGO Global Witness. The report underscores that, as essential elections near in Europe, the shortage of resources presents a substantial obstacle for platforms in adopting robust measures against hate and disinformation.
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