Latest: Government's plan to use taxpayer's money to monitor social media criticised
The Government has been criticised for plans to use taxpayers money to monitor our own social media.
Companies have been invited to submit tenders to the Department of Social Protection and outline how they would conduct the service.
It would see certain keywords monitored that may flag issues to the Department.
The Department said it Is part of efforts to help it understand policy, economic and customer issues and says there's no guarantee it will go ahead with the monitoring.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) says we should be worried that the government is going to monitor our social media activity.
The Department of Social Protection (DSP) has put out a tender for a company to look for the use of certain words on Facebook and Twitter.
Elizabeth Farries from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties said: "I want to be clear that this isn't the same as an ordinary company monitoring people's online speech."
"People depend on the DSP for their livlihood and for access to essential services.
"So it is unthinkable that the DSP is making decision to monitor this speech in this way given the clear power imbalance between the two parties."
