Social Media and the Belfast Riots: Articles in The Conversation, New Statesman and The Times

Posted on June 12, 2026 by Paul Reilly

I have three new articles out on the role of social media in the violent disorder seen in Northern Ireland this week.

On Wednesday I wrote for the Conversation UK on how social media had been used by far-right agitators like Tommy Robinson to incite violence in Belfast and other towns. I argued that while more could be done to prevent online hate and misinformation, the toxic discourse around immigration was a bigger problem. It can be read in full here.

Yesterday I had an op-ed published in The Times. I posited how facts don’t matter to those seeking to leverage traumatic incidents, such as Monday’s knife attack in North Belfast, to further anti-immigrant agendas. I was also interviewed by David Leask for a report on the protests and related violence in Glasgow.

Finally, I had an article published in The New Statesman yesterday. In this one I reflected on the similarities between this week’s events and the racist violence seen in Ballymena last summer. I discussed the reasons why far-right agitators have been able to mobilise support from working-class loyalist communities, and the role of online platforms in whipping up anti-immigrant sentiments. The piece can be read here (you may need to subscribe to access it).

Many thanks to Charlotte Morris for helping arranging these , and to Nick Harris, David Leask, Dale Miller and Sarah Reid for publishing them.

Interviewed about public reaction to Nicola Sturgeon appearance on Kuenssberg show

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Paul Reilly

Memes posted in aftermath of Nicola Sturgeon interview on Laura Kuenssberg show

Yesterday I was interviewed by Steph Brawn (The National). We discussed the public reaction to former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s interview on the BBC Laura Kuenssberg show. Many online commenters have questioned her claims that she was completely unaware of estranged husband Peter Murrell’s embezzlement of SNP party funds.

The article features some excellent insight from University of Strathclyde media expert Michael Higgins. Some excerpts from my contribution are below:

“I think if a politician comes out and says ‘yes I did it’ or apologises they are viewed as weak and it’s a reflection of how partisan politics has become, particularly with people calling things online,”

“They are quick to judge, and since Nicola Sturgeon stood down I think there are probably a lot of people who are critical of her and this is another weapon to beat her with, so I don’t think there’s anything she could say that was not going to meet a certain response”

“Of course, there are people who are very pro-Nicola Sturgeon defending her online and that reflects the fact that people are in these separate camps and they’re not likely to change their mind as a result of the revelations.”

Many thanks to Steph for the interview. It can be read in full here.

Interviewed about online abuse directed at Scottish journalists

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Paul Reilly

This week my colleague Catherine Happer and I were interviewed about the normalisation of abuse against journalists in Scotland. The article, published in The National, explored how politicians delegitmise the media and dismiss critical coverage as ‘fake news’. There have even been recent incidents of political aides grabbing journalists mid-question. This abuse of journalists is particularly ominous as we enter the final stages of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

A few of my quotes from the article are below:

“It feels as if we are heading in the same direction as the US under Trump,” says Dr Paul Reilly, a Senior Lecturer in Communication, Media and Democracy at the University of Glasgow. “We see UK politicians dismissing critical media coverage as ‘fake news’, trying to avoid legitimate questions from the press by questioning their integrity and motives”

Farage is a case in point, Dr Reilly argues. “Farage has issued statements claiming he was going to boycott the BBC and yet still appears on their programmes,” he says. The contradiction only makes sense if you see the boycott threat as performance: a way to present himself as a victim of a hostile establishment while continuing to use its platforms.

Dr Reilly makes the same point from a different angle. “It certainly reinforces and strengthens existing patterns of distrust in our media and political institutions,” he says.

“It is little wonder that journalists are subjected to abuse and hostility online. Social media users frequently see video footage of political leaders accusing journalists of fabricating stories or trying to smear them – all because they are asking uncomfortable questions or scrutinising the actions and policies of our politicians.”

Dr Reilly cites this evidence, adding: “I would be worried that this trend may result in journalists being threatened, or worse still, attacked by members of the public.”

“This is one of the roots of the information crisis that has seen members of the public become increasingly disillusioned with democracy,” he warns.

Many thanks to Laura Pollock for the interview, which can be read here.

Interviewed about AI misinformation in Scottish elections

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Paul Reilly

I was interviewed by Jamie Mann (The Ferret) about AI misinformation and the upcoming Scottish Parliament election.

This De-noiser explores the evidence on how AI misinformation has impacted elections to date. From chatbots to deepfakes, there is increasing evidence that bad actors are trying to influence attitudes and voting behaviours.

A few quotes from the article are below:

Dr Paul Reilly, senior lecturer in communications, media and democracy at the University of Glasgow told The Ferret that “there’s a lot of evidence of efforts to subvert or manipulate public discourse”.

This includes the apparent “orchestration of bots” on X designed to “sow confusion and discord”, undermine trust and push people towards a certain position.

“I think there’s a bigger question about amplifying polarisation, and that is often what those behind these campaigns want to happen,” he added.

Reilly said that just 18 months ago, he would have considered the threat of AI-generated media on the democratic process to be an exaggeration. But the number of realistic deepfakes targeting political figures in recent months means it is now “a big concern”.

He said that while there’s not yet evidence that deepfakes can alter voting behaviour on a large scale, “it’s certainly a threat in elections coming”.

Reilly said there’s a lack of focus on AI compared to mis and disinformation, “but it’s part of the same thing”.

He argues that all institutions have responsibility to tackle misleading content, including media outlets who can fact check and debunk claims, and social media companies, which, he argues, “are still not taking their roles seriously enough”.

Many thanks to Jamie for the interview and Charlotte Morris for arranging it.

It can be read in full here.

The National interview on anti-far-right summit in Scotland

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Paul Reilly

I was quoted in an article by The National’s Steph Brawn on the anti-far right summit in Scotland.

I argued that there was too much focus on the spectacle of the rise of Reform. The Scottish political mainstream needs to test their policies on issues like immigration and offer viable alternatives. The rise of parties like Reform is due to a breakdown in trust in political institutions, which will take a long time to recover from. However the first step must be to inject facts into debates over immigration and to avoid leaning into emotional narratives that inflame tensions further.

Many thanks to Steph for the opportunity and Charlotte Morris for arranging it.

The article can be read in full here

Dr Paul Reilly

Communication expert, researcher and lecturer

Tag Archives: Media appearance

Interviewed about public reaction to Nicola Sturgeon appearance on Kuenssberg show

The National interview on anti-far-right summit in Scotland