Photograph: European Pressphoto AgencyIreland is “blocking” legal actions on behalf of children affected by “addictive and dangerous” design of social media algorithms because of how it implemented a significant EU directive, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties has said. The European Commission is currently investigating a complaint from the ICCL about how the State has transposed the EU Collective Redress Directive. Her lawyers alleged some features built by social media companies into their platforms, including video autoplay and an infinitely scrollable feed, are designed to keep people on the apps and have made the products addictive. [ Q&A: It’s been a bad week for social media. Barrister Michael O’Doherty, an internet law expert, described the outcome of the US cases as “potentially seismic”, including for parents concerned about the impact of social media on their children but who until now had felt “powerless”.

Source: The Irish Times March 27, 2026 11:56 UTC