Dr Eileen Culloty of EDMO Ireland delivered a talk on ‘The Influence Industry: Shaping the Information You See’ at DLR Lexicon Library on 11 June in The Lab.
The presentation moved beyond the psychology of individual belief to examine the well‑funded machinery that produces disinformation. Dr Culloty traced the evolution of the public sphere from the Agora and coffee houses to 19th‑century town halls, noting how the expansion of democracy prompted new efforts to control mass opinion. The 20th century added concentrated media ownership, strategic PR, lobbying, and mass advertising – alongside less legal methods. Today, these traditional tactics are joined by hyper‑concentrated digital platforms, troll farms, data harvesting, and AI‑generated content.
Dr Culloty argued that solutions must address the structural network of PR firms, lobbyists, data brokers, and state actors, rather than focusing solely on debunking false claims. The talk outlined the full spectrum of influence operations and provided attendees with a framework for assessing public narratives.
The event formed part of EDMO Ireland’s ongoing public programme to support media literacy and informed civic debate.
