Brendan O'Connor Newspaper Panel
Mar 29, 2026
Scott Lucas, UCD politics professor offering geopolitics insight; Alison O'Connor, newspaper columnist on domestic politics; Peter Brown, investment boss with market and economic know-how; Sinead Keane, youth mental health and online safety advocate. They dissect modular garden homes and housing policy. They debate big tech’s legal and regulatory turning point and compare it to gambling and tobacco. They assess Gulf shipping risks and energy consequences.
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Don't Ban Teens From Social Media Without Support
- Avoid blanket bans for teens; prioritize making platforms safer while keeping communication open.
- Sinead Keane argues a ban for under-16s risks secretive usage and undermines parental communication and safety.
Parents Felt Like Guinea Pigs During Social Media Rise
- Alison O'Connor describes parents' helplessness watching their children grow up as 'guinea pigs' of social media.
- She recalls learning early about harms from books like An Ugly Truth and feeling deep regret about the cohort exposed.
Platforms Profited While Dodging Safety Costs
- Tech companies exploited a model of capturing huge profits while externalizing safety and moderation costs.
- Peter Brown compares this to gambling industry practices where design teams optimise addictiveness for revenue.