One signal

Former Irish president Michael D Higgins says AI, social media and other technologies could threaten democracy if they go unregulated. His warning centres on what he calls new forms of capitalism reshaping communications, media and technology.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Higgins said he sees society on the verge of “the most complete colonisation” through a failure to address these issues. It is a pointed argument from a former head of state, though he did not set out a specific regulatory proposal. The useful question is what rules could meet that concern without treating every new tool as a democratic emergency. Should governments regulate AI and social media more directly, or focus on enforcing existing rules?

Discuss: Should governments regulate AI and social media more directly to protect democracy, or focus on enforcing existing rules?

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