Irish media regulator investigates Meta ‘dark patterns’

Social media platform Meta has been called on to build safer products and systems and to engage with Coimisiún na Meán in its investigation into its practices.It said there are concerns that so-called “dark patterns” may be preventing people from accessing a feed not based on profiling. Profiling is the use of automated systems to personalise content or ads based on patterns in a person’s data or behaviour. The investigation will examine whether Facebook and Instagram interfaces deceive or manipulate users away from choosing a recommender system feed that is not based on profiling of their personal data.Online Safety Coordinator with the Children’s Rights Alliance, Noeline Blackwell, said that at present, when people go online, the platform they use collects information about them, which can be used to build a profile that may then be used to push new material at users unless they opt out. What is your take on Meta products and hidden agendas ?