News

Debunked: Fox News claims about an Irish crime wave are based on discredited claims and bad stats

Posted on By AOB
Factchecks

In early August 2025, Fox News aired a segment claiming Dublin had experienced a 114% rise in “murder/assault attempts”, attributing this surge to increased immigration. A fact-check by The Journal thoroughly debunks this claim. The report notes there is no official crime category labelled “murder/assault attempts”, and statistics from An Garda Síochána or the Central … Read More “Debunked: Fox News claims about an Irish crime wave are based on discredited claims and bad stats” »

As the presidential race begins, ordinary citizens must speak up for democratic principles

Posted on By AOB
Elections, News, Policy

As Ireland’s 2025 presidential race unfolds, the integrity of its democratic process faces new challenges from foreign interference and smear campaigns to misinformation spread by bots. Writing in The Irish Times, Eileen Culloty, assistant professor in communications and deputy director of the DCU Institute for Media, Democracy and Society, together with David Farrell, Professor of Politics at University College Dublin and expert in electoral systems, argue that institutional safeguards alone are not enough. And advocate empowering ordinary citizen through tools like citizen panels and grassroots vigilance to actively defend democratic norms and ensure fair and trusted elections.

Debunked: Old video of a Belgian mosque claims to show “what they’re teaching kids now in school”

Posted on By AOB
Factchecks

The controversy was reported by Belgian publications back in 2018. A viral video showing children praying in a mosque has been falsely presented as evidence of school indoctrination, but in truth, it dates back to 2018 and features a visit organised by a non-profit aiming to promote religious understanding—a trip not part of any school … Read More “Debunked: Old video of a Belgian mosque claims to show “what they’re teaching kids now in school”” »

EDMO Ireland Contributes to Council of Europe Workshop on Countering Disinformation

Posted on By EDMO Admin
News, Policy

On 04 July, Dr Eileen Culloty was invited to participate in an expert workshop at the Council of Europe. The workshop provided specialist insight into a draft strategic document on countering disinformation and promoting information integrity. Dr Culloty contributed insights from her role as coordinator of EDMO Ireland and as a member of the working … Read More “EDMO Ireland Contributes to Council of Europe Workshop on Countering Disinformation” »

Inaugural Disinformation Forum Launched in Limerick

Posted on By Eileen Culloty
News

On Monday, 23rd June, EDMO Ireland and Media Literacy Ireland co-hosted the inaugural Disinformation Forum at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. The event marked a key milestone in Ireland’s newly launched National Counter Disinformation Strategy (NCDS) and was supported by the media literacy and user education team at Coimisiún na Meán. Opening the forum, Minister for … Read More “Inaugural Disinformation Forum Launched in Limerick” »

EDMO Ireland Leads Disinformation Workshop at PPN Summer School

Posted on By Eileen Culloty
Media Literacy, News, Outreach

EDMO Ireland was invited to deliver a two-hour workshop on disinformation as part of the Dublin Region Public Participation Networks (PPN) Summer School. The session, led by Eileen Culloty, was attended by a wide range of community representatives. PPNs provide a vital link between local authorities and community groups across Ireland, giving citizens a greater … Read More “EDMO Ireland Leads Disinformation Workshop at PPN Summer School” »

Be Online Smart Campaign Engages Irish Librarians

Posted on By Eileen Culloty
Media Literacy, News

The Be Online Smart campaign continues to raise awareness about the impact of recommendation algorithms on our online experience. Be Online Smart is an initiative by the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) and its network of 14 national hubs. On Tuesday, Dublin City University (DCU) introduced the campaign to participants in a media literacy workshop … Read More “Be Online Smart Campaign Engages Irish Librarians” »

Factchecking will play a key role in EU Democracy Shield

Posted on By Eileen Culloty
News, Policy

Factcheckers will be central to new European Commission plans to safeguard democracy under the EU’s Democracy Shield, according to Commissioner Michael McGrath. Speaking at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), McGrath outlined the Commission’s efforts to build resilience against disinformation. McGrath, who became EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and … Read More “Factchecking will play a key role in EU Democracy Shield” »

Be Online Smart talk with DCU in the Community

Posted on By Eileen Culloty
Campaigns, Media Literacy, News

As part of EDMO’s Be Online Smart campaign, EDMO Ireland delivered a talk in Ballymun Library. Be Online Smart explores how algorithms shape our online experience—from the news we read to the videos we watch. The talk was one of four media literacy sessions delivered by EDMO Ireland’s Eileen Culloty and Shane Murphy, organised through … Read More “Be Online Smart talk with DCU in the Community” »

Debunked: Deepfake video appears to show Canadian Prime Minister announcing ban on old cars

Posted on By AOB
Factchecks

Mark Carney has not announced that cars made prior to 2000 won’t be allowed on the road. A deepfake video purporting to show Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announcing a ban on pre-2000 cars, prohibiting window tints, and outlawing lifted trucks has been debunked — The Journal’s FactCheck confirms it is entirely fabricated, the result … Read More “Debunked: Deepfake video appears to show Canadian Prime Minister announcing ban on old cars” »