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ALMOST TWO THIRDS of internet users saw online content they considered to be “untrue or doubtful” in 2021, new Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows.
Some 62% of users saw content including articles, videos and images on online news sites and social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube, which they did not believe to be factual.
Of those who came across such content, 64% checked its veracity by checking sources online, or taking part in discussions about the content.
CSO statistician Maureen Delamere said: “In 2021, we are online more than ever, working from home and relying on technology and digital services.
“Our everyday lives are becoming far more digital and we are exposed to a very large amount of information, some of which is true, some of which is clearly untrue and some of which requires further evaluation and investigation.
“In 2021, more than six in 10 internet users saw information or content on online news sites or social media that they considered doubtful or untrue, of which almost two-thirds (64%) checked the truthfulness of the content.
“The main way people checked the truthfulness of online content was to check sources and information, with 93% of such persons choosing this method of checking the content integrity.
“Respondents to the survey could choose more than one option to verify information seen online.
“Discussing the information offline with other persons or using sources not on the internet was carried out by 47% of internet users, while some 15% cited following or taking part in online discussion regarding the content.
“For those who did not check the truthfulness of content they saw online, the most common reason (80%) was that they already knew the information content or source was unreliable.”
The figures also show that older generations tend to be more cautious with sharing their personal data online.
Almost two-thirds (65%) of internet users aged 30 to 59 years refused use of their personal data for advertising purposes, compared with 42% of persons in the 16 to 29 years age group
Only 37% of people said they read a website’s privacy policy statement before providing personal information online.
Delamere said: “As our internet usage continues to increase, so too does the amount of personal information and data which is made available online.
“In 2021, almost six in 10 (59%) internet users restricted access to their geographical location when using online platforms, while nearly six in 10 (58%) internet users refused allowing the use of personal data for advertising purposes.
“Internet users were less likely, however, to limit access to their profile or content on social networking sites or shared online storage, with just under half (47%) of internet users limiting such access.”
She added: “Websites that collect personal information require a privacy policy statement, but only 37% of internet users read them before providing personal information online.
“Similarly, even though everyone has the right to access the digital personal data collected by websites or search engines administrator or providers, just 6% of internet users requested access to their online personal data to update or delete it.”
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It’s understandable that she would be upset, she loved her father and no doubt misses him. It would be natural for any child to wish to protect the memory and reputation of their parents but the facts do speak for themselves
Did Doherty not repent of his misdeeds in politics and become a “born again” Christian before he died.?
He was a ‘yes’ man and that explains how he became Minister of Justice. She can live in denial but he was caught and later admitted what he did, so what’s her problem with the truth???
What’s most politicians’ problem with the truth, Marguerite?!
As my memory serves Doherty had a lot of work done in and around his Rosscommon home at the taxpayers expense.
I thought the portrayal of Doherty was spot on.
“She said that nothing about that period in Irish politics was portrayed accurately in the programme and said there was no attempt to show the climate of the time.”
Unfortunate the climate has not changed one little bit since then,my girl.!
Cronyism and stroke politics is alive and well in Ireland,to this day.
Isn’t it funny how Haughey fell over illegal Garda tapes and Enda is still holding firm – it’s almost like living through life as if Charlie had gotten an overall majority if you think of it that way !
And if it you look at it that way it makes Labour and Joan Burton et al. look very poor indeed , which I am sure they are not – Optics is very important in politics.
Dermot are you seriously suggesting that Kenny is comparable to Haughey?
The truth always hurts.
He comes across like a Pat Shortt character from Killinaskully..
The law of Ireland says that Sean Doherty facilitated illegal spying on Ireland ….
On a separate point all together what do ye think of people who can give it but can’t take it …..
They don’t do Brian Lenahan snr. any favours either !!
They shouldn’t give it Dermot .
Agreed Gambon – It can open a can of worms – isn’t that what happened to One Pee one time – gave it out and then bang !
And the truth ishe broke the law and in places would have gone to jail. Sometimes filial piety should be kept to oneself.
Sometimes its traded for reputation that doesn’t exist – but not in Ireland of course !
Flynn even bragged about it on the Late Late……
Do the offspring of Ministers in this country ever end up doing an honest days work in their lives. I see this one is leeching away quite nicely in a council
Someone votes for them, she wouldn’t be there if the public in roscommon didn’t vote for her
you are so right joanne.
did she fix your footpath or something?
Don’t understand your question? Every public rep whether at council or government level are voted for by the people of this country – that’s a fact she didn’t walk into it without someone voting for her – your comment implied otherwise and is simple nonsense. And I doubt she went out with a shovel and fixed anyone’s footpath.
Portraying Doherty was always going to be a bit of a bugger.
Should have learnt from Mary O’Rourke and paid out for a whitewashed biography of PR spin.
You can’t polish a turd but can probably stick a few sparklers on it as a distraction…
Yeah, but the stink is always there, Marko!
They’ll be claiming he tapped phones while he was minister for justice next!
Worst documentary ever!!
But sure isn’t it fiction – a drama ..
I miss Scrap Saturday and I haven’t seen Irish Pictorial Weekly in a while ?
They say Charlie got rid of Scrap Saturday – and look how Charlie turned out ….
It’s entertainment based on fact.
Loosely…read interviews with writer….based on true events but artistic licence used for dramatic effect…so not fact….infacta
Anything to get on the radio for a bit of PR and maybe now announce she will contest the next election. The truth always hurts.
All a shower of gangsters
Too true, and more of them in Mayo and Roscommon than most places. (Kerry and Tipperary for third and fourth place.?)
She’s just defending the good name of her dad , however he didn’t have a good name in first place. That’s politics for ya !!!!
If any of ye accuse me of anything again I’ll get my young lad to deny I am a bad guy !
A serious, bright, intelligent mind…….corrupt as they come
He got a guy arrested by the RUC in Northern Ireland to help out he brother in law ..
Good God
An emotive rather than factual response
Parallels between Doherty’s time and now. Shatter had to resign as Minister for Justice over the Martin Callinhan affair….but do any of us know the real reason ? so let me see who would be Charlies equivalent of deniable culpability……hmmmm
O’Rourke pointed out that the programme covered factual events from Irish politics in 1982, but Councillor Doherty said, “Regarding events my father was allegedly involved in, first of all I have to say I was 12 years of age and the youngest girl in the house was two and I have no information or any wish to comment on those particular events in my father’s career.”
You have to be a bit of a gangster to be a politician. I honestly don’t think a 100% straight nice man or woman would get nowhere in politics. Not a member of any party and don’t like any of them but just saying.
Well John as a Politician, I wouldn’t consider myself a gangster but a public servant.
How was an ex Garda allowed to become Minister for Justice?
I must have missed something but the Dowra incident and the tapping of journalists phones have been established as facts at this stage.
Having actually met the man a few times as he was a friend of my fathers, I would not be happy if I was his daughter/son at the portrayal and I feel that the portrayal of him was inaccurate on the whole…….only my opinion !! but I will say one thing…You wouldn’t get too many people in North County Roscommon talking bad of him
RTE are just as corrupt and devious as any politician.
Look at what they did to Sean Gallagher on the Presidential election debate, a few years ago. They derailed his campaign live on air with a fake tweet.
Not a fan of Gallagher by any means or did not vote for him – but very suspect broadcasting standards from RTE.
They ensured that the presidential candidate they wanted got elected.
I think they did the country a massive favour in that instance.
Seán is Shawn ,Séan is Shane , why can Irish people, even journalists not get this right ?
not one but two Seán’s got screwed here
She’s right to be annoyed at the caricaturisation of her father in the series. He comes across as a bumbling bumpkin; he was nothing of the sort.
Sean Doherty was no angel, but he wasn’t the decision-maker. My abiding memory of him is his courageous outing of haughey on nighthawks, a move that ended haughey’s career and showed him up as a liar.
It’s drama folks!!!
have your say