Paul Tweed threatens Big Tech companies with screen addiction group action
30 Sep 2024Reading time: 2 minutes
Paul Tweed
Lawyer Paul Tweed has said he is exploring the possibility of bringing a group action against Big Tech companies in the Irish courts.
Mr Tweed told The Journal that he is discussing with with cyberpsychology professor Mary Aiken the possibility of a legal action focused on screen addiction.
A group action can be brought under the relatively new Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Act 2023 by a consumer organisation designated by the government as a ‘qualified entity’.
Mr Tweed said the Irish courts would be the “preferred choice” for the lawsuit, given that many major tech companies are headquartered in Dublin, but this would be “subject to funding arrangements being allowed, and subject to the classification, whether a group action would suffice”.
He continued: “But I’m looking at that at the moment — the likelihood is group action in Ireland, but it’s obviously subject to quite a number of caveats.”
Mr Tweed has also said social media companies should be held responsible for their AI output.
“Up to now, the platforms have claimed ‘we’re not a publisher’ because they don’t create their own content,” he said.
“Generative AI does create some content. It creates new content, stuff that it’s bringing in as a sort of a news aggregator or an information aggregator.
“So they can’t use the old social media argument, that ‘we have no input on what’s put in our platforms’. I think that’s going to be crucial.”
Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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