At just 14 years old, Molly Russell came home from school, finished her homework & said goodnight to her family. A few hours later, she took her own life. Molly Vs THE MACHINES follows her heartbroken father's quest for truth — & his fightback against the world's most powerful corporations.
After a five-year inquest, Senior Coroner Andrew Walker concluded in September 2022 that “Molly Rose Russell died from an act of self-harm whilst suffering from depression and the negative effects of on-line content”
A deeply felt thank you to Ian Russell, father of Molly & founder of the
@mollyrosefoundation , for the powerful & moving introduction to his & Molly's story.
Thank you to everyone who joined us last night at the
@lighthousecnma for a
@CyberSafeKidsie private screening of this film. Your participation in this vital conversation is truly appreciated. Together, we can work to create an Ireland where children's rights come before profit & political power, & are at the heart of a safer digital world.
A heartfelt thank you to our exceptional panel for a such an engaging & thought-provoking conversation on how we can drive meaningful change to protect children online: Prof. Debbie Ging,
@clearyeoghan , Prof. Matthew Sadlier & Alex Cooney, expertly moderated by Ciara O'Brien of
@theIrishTimes .
Key takeaways:
1. The real danger is the algorithm – not just harmful content, but how it’s relentlessly delivered, shaping young people’s thinking.
2. AI risks are already here – from chatbot-linked suicides, to sextortion, harms are happening now & escalating faster than social media did.
3. Parents are overwhelmed & under-informed – they don’t see what kids see online.
Parents need support, while tech companies must be held accountable.
4. Legislation must be preventative, not reactive – regulation should act before damage occurs, not after - preventing harm before products reach children.
5. A social media ban isn’t enough – real safety requires design changes, independent risk classification by age, effective age verification, & strong enforcement.
Thank you to
@blacknight ,
@gendigital.oficial , &
@wearedotie for sponsoring the event.
Pics:
@garethchaney 
