Jack McCarron

Prime Time

How 'job' scams work: AI images, fake websites and false promises

AI-generated faces, fake brands and persuasive scripts are now being used to run scams that look increasingly convincing. Prime Time followed one from the first text to the point where victims are asked to hand over money

Prime Time • 02 Sep

Assault victim links attack to racism and rise in misinformation

A string of violent attacks on migrants in Ireland, some linked to racism and misinformation, has sparked growing concern among some minority communities

Clarity • 02 Aug

RTE Clarity comoposite image for Gaza explainer

A Gaza truce? Here's what is being negotiated, and why it matters

A new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas may be within reach — but key questions remain. Hostages, humanitarian aid, and political pressure are shaping what happens next.

Clarity • 09 Jul

Bob Vylan have faced both support and criticism for the language used during their Glastonbury set

Bob Vylan: Is there a clear legal basis for a case against them?

UK police are investigating Bob Vylan's Glastonbury performance — but what does the law actually say about protest, free speech, and hate crime?

Clarity • 04 Jul

In the hour after the incident prominent individuals online claimed falsely that a child had been shot, that the gunman was a foreign national, and that the incident was a terror attack

How misinformation took hold in Carlow shooting aftermath

The recent Carlow shooting incident was a moment of real panic. But it also showed how quickly events can be reshaped online, often before the full picture is known

Clarity • 11 Jun

French President Emmanuel Macron disembarks a plane with his wife Brigitte Macron in Hanoi, Vietnam

In the age of AI, is doubt becoming a political strategy?

As references to AI become more common in political discourse, what happens when democratic governments begin using it to question the authenticity of real events?

Clarity • 02 Jun

Drawn in by the algorithm: four Irish men share their stories

Four Irish men describe how online content gradually shaped their views on gender, dating and identity. They tell Prime Time how they were drawn in - and what helped them step back.

Prime Time • 23 May

Why is 'The Manosphere' drawing in some young men - and what can be done to help avoid or emerge from its influence?

'The Manosphere': Why some young men turn to negative influencers

Experts Prime Time have spoken to are concerned that perceptions of masculinity held by significant numbers of young men are being shaped and distorted by narratives and communities online

Prime Time • 22 May

An Garda Síochána has confirmed that foul play has been ruled out but the narrative pushed on X quickly began to spread online

Fanning flames: How a Donegal fire was used to stoke hate online

How a false claim about a Donegal church fire went viral - and the network of anonymous accounts using outrage, disinformation, and profit-driven tactics to target Ireland online

Clarity • 11 May

Peacekeepers have faced growing hostility, often driven by false information

How 'toxic' rumours and false claims put UN troops at risk

As geopolitical tensions grow, tackling disinformation is becoming as critical as the peacekeeping missions themselves, according to officials from the United Nations who spoke to RTÉ.

Clarity • 06 Apr