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Paul J Davies and Parmy Olson Opinion Online deep-fakery and runs on banks all raise worrying issues over the march of artificial intelligence

Hackers crack the Twitter account of the US news agency Associated Press. They post a tweet: “Two explosions at the White House, the president is injured.” The S&P 500 share index drops 1pc.

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Tanya Sweeney Opinion Fellow parents – I beg you, let’s not make fancy St Patrick’s Day costumes for kids a thing

As is often the way, I became aware of the trend via Facebook’s many parenting groups. “Anyone know where I can get a last-minute St. Patrick’s Day dress?” one mum implored. “I’ve left it too late.” Other more organised types filled her in on where the merch was. She was demonstrably relieved.

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Jobs Crunch: Is Ireland up tech creek without a paddle?

You could almost sense the fear along the banks of the Liffey in Grand Canal Dock, Dublin – home to many of Ireland’s best international and domestic technology companies.

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Helen Dixon insists Irish DPC’s office is not a ‘bottleneck’ for enforcement

The Irish Data Protection Commissioner has rejected claims Ireland is a “bottleneck” for enforcement and says her office is now concluding complaints more quickly than new ones emerge.

Modest growth in advertising spend lies ahead for 2023

It’s that time of the year when the global agency networks start to report their 2022 results and provide some pointers for 2023.

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Commercial decisions are inching us slowly towards a two-tier internet

Some strange convergence is happening to online business models.

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Vodafone lobbies Government to back network levy for tech firms

Vodafone has written to the Department of Enterprise to drum up support for an EU levy on tech companies that use its network.

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Hugh Hewitt Opinion AI is ‘probably overstated’ says PayPal founder Peter Thiel – but it’s the biggest thing since the iPhone

If Dante had needed a 10th circle of hell, he might have chosen a college faculty meeting.

Tech firms face growing risk of European Union telco levy

Irish-based tech giants should gear up for a battle with Brussels as the EU mulls whether to charge them for a surge in internet traffic.

Deutsche Bank will cut bonuses for staff using Whatsapp for work

Deutsche Bank will cut bonuses for staff that inappropriately used messaging services for business communications as the repercussions from a sweeping US probe ripple across the industry.

Regional tech embraces remote work to win over workers who lose their jobs in Dublin

Tech companies in places like Galway or Waterford are trying to lure talent from the capital by offering them fully remote roles.

‘Customers cannot lodge or withdraw from accounts’ – frustration at repeated An Post banking glitches

Complaints have been made about An Post’s current account, with frustrated customers annoyed at their debit cards being declined, delays processing payments and what they say are repeated technical issues.

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Big tech’s misfortune might give startups a chance to hire talent that was once out of reach

Last week Dell joined the roll call of large tech firms laying off staff globally.

Tech sector is still best bet for Dublin office market despite cuts, says Savills report

Tech remains the best bet to provide tenants for Ireland’s prime offices despite a global wave of high-profile job cuts and spending reductions washing through the sector, according to estate agent Savills’ latest Dublin Office Market review.

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Central Bank demands special audits for ‘fintech’ payments firms

Dozens of fintechs are being forced to submit special audits to the Central Bank after a review of the sector found "significant deficiencies” in how some firms safeguard customer money.

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Declan Lynch Opinion Tommy Tiernan should learn that jokes can still pack a punch, even with self-censorship

Tommy Tiernan has said his daughter advised him not to do a joke that could be construed as racist, for which he has now been “cancelled” by one of his TV show’s sponsors — the taxi-hailing firm Free Now. She was right.

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Colin Murphy Opinion Not all protesters are far right. Make an effort to understand before you condemn

When the protests against asylum-seekers in Ballymun started, Caroline Conroy, a local Green Party councillor who is Lord Mayor of Dublin, called a meeting to work out how to respond. As well as political representatives, there were people there from local schools, youth groups, sports clubs and community services.

Editorial Opinion Crack down on abuse, but protect free speech

The abuse of politicians is a worsening problem that is almost certainly directly linked to the growth of social media — the platforms that are failing in their duty to protect users in general from toxic abuse.

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Richard Curran Opinion Office to remain a focal point for business, but working from home is here to stay

As someone who decided to leave Dublin and live in Donegal 11 years ago, I should have been a big believer in the future of remote working. After all, I have been doing it for over a decade.

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Steve Dempsey Opinion The days of surveillance capitalism are numbered, but it won't go easily or quietly

Targeted digital advertising has paid the internet’s bills for years, keeping products and services free for all. However, personalised ads and the data collection processes they require are now in the cross hairs of regulators in prominent jurisdictions. It’s a big headache for big tech. But some companies are suffering more than others.

Mould and damp misery for dozens of social housing tenants waiting years for councils to respond

A TD who put out a Facebook call for council tenants with damp and mould issues to get in touch has been bombarded with messages from exasperated householders.

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How Andrew Tate’s Twitter account continues to reach millions of followers despite arrest

Divisive internet personality Andrew Tate has been held by police in Romania since December 29 but his Twitter account has continued to post the former kickboxer’s particular brand of conspiracy-laden content to his 4.5 million followers.

Meta fined €390m in Ireland – privacy bill now stands at €1.3bn

The Irish Data Protection Commissioner has fined Meta’s Facebook and Instagram subsidiaries €390m for GDPR privacy breaches. It brings the tech giant’s total regulatory bill in Ireland to over €1.3bn in the last 16 months.

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From Margaret Atwood to Joseph O’Connor and more – 100 books coming your way in 2023

Art really does imitate life. For the last two years, fiction across all genres was about family, home, self, as we endured endless lockdowns. But 2023’s fiction is more focused on the world beyond our front doors, while lots of non-fiction looks at our flawed society with an understandably jaundiced eye. Here are 100 books to look forward to in the brave new year.

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Adrian Weckler’s tech year in review: Stocks crash and job losses follow as Elon Musk’s Twitter move hogs the headlines

The big tech story of 2022 was the tech industry’s sudden, brutal decline.

Editorial Opinion In light of the Leo Varadkar nightclub video, privacy boundaries need to be made clear

An uncomfortable truth accompanying any degree of fame is that your privacy diminishes in proportion to the elevation in status.

exclusive New era of strict social media rules is now imminent says Micheál Martin in wake of Leo Varadkar video

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has warned a new era of stricter rules around social media is imminent.

Meta faces another blow to advertising revenues from EU

Meta faces a fresh blow to its advertising business after Europe’s governing data protection body looks poised to restrict the social platform’s behavioural advertising system.

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Tensions in Sinn Féin as one of Mary Lou McDonald’s oldest political allies posts cryptic message on Facebook

One of Mary Lou McDonald’s oldest political allies has posted a cryptic Facebook message criticising people for pulling up the ladder behind them when they become successful.

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Mary Kenny Opinion Let’s face facts – the wealth and success of Ireland today owes much to the English language

The sums of money currently rolling into the Irish Exchequer are amazing – revenues are hitting a record this year at €23bn. An American financial source predicts that this tax take will climb to €26bn shortly. The State has never been so rich.