X refuses request from the Taoiseach to attend social media regulation meeting
X’s refusal to attend a meeting discussing the regulation of online platforms is “extremely disappointing and worrying.”
That’s according to the Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, which has revealed that X representatives have refused a personal request from the Taoiseach to attend. However, representatives from Meta, Google, and TikTok have all agreed to appear before the committee at Leinster House today (February 4) at 4pm.
The meeting aims to strengthen online safety protocols following recent controversies involving Grok , an AI chatbot on the X platform. The tool drew sharp criticism after reports emerged of it generating sexually explicit deepfake images of women and minors.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of X owner Elon Musk , whose approach to content moderation and provocative political rhetoric have become central points of criticism in recent years. While an announcement from X states they have “implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing,” the company’s unwillingness to attend the meeting raises further questions regarding its commitment to safety standards.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Alan Kelly said: “The Committee invited several online platforms to attend this meeting as part of our ongoing work in this area. While we welcome the attendance of Google, Meta and TikTok, the Committee notes that X formerly known as Twitter declined the invitation to appear. It is extremely disappointing and worrying that X have refused to attend especially after a request was additionally made by the Taoiseach for them to do so.
“This meeting will examine how major online platforms approach regulation, online safety and the protection of children and young people. We plan to discuss issues including content moderation, the use of technology and human oversight to address harmful and illegal content, age-appropriate design, age assurance, and the role of digital literacy and user empowerment.
"We will also discuss how platforms such as TikTok are implementing their obligations under the EU Digital Services Act, particularly considering the high levels of engagement by children and young people in Ireland with online platforms and the importance of ensuring that their safety, privacy and wellbeing are protected.”
Concerns over the lack of safety and divisive political undertones of social media platforms led to Dublin City Council announcing last January that they would stop posting on X with immediate effect. Following pressure from Green party councillors highlighting harmful content on the platform, they opted to pause their use of the site.
This includes the main Dublin City Council X page, as well as dozens of council-adjacent accounts, like Dublin Fire Brigade . While this was used as a quick way for the council to get information out to the public, Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare said a review of their social media presence was needed to ensure it can “align with and support the city council’s values and brand.”
When contacted by Dublin Live regarding sexually explicit imagery created by Grok, a spokesperson from X said: “We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary. Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.”
This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme