Two in three consumers feel they are already doing all they can possibly do to tackle climate change, according to the latest Reflecting Ireland research from Permanent TSB Bank and research consultancy Kantar.

The research also suggests one in three (34%) feel their personal behaviour will not make any difference to climate change, while 27% believe there is not enough evidence to link our personal behaviour to climate change.

In addition, there is evidence of opposition to measures that would add a cost to consumers in order to change personal behaviour, such as higher taxes on air travel; making petrol or diesel cars more expensive; or asking people to foot the costs of retrofitting their homes to reduce energy consumption.

The research shows that relying solely on concern about climate change to motivate people to take action is rarely enough. Evidence from behavioural research shows that focusing on the opportunity to save money as a primary message, supported by the benefits for the climate as a secondary one, is a much more powerful motivator than focusing on benefits for the climate alone.

The findings are contained in the latest edition of the #ReflectingIreland behavioural research carried out by Permanent TSB and Kantar, which is designed to explore consumer behaviour and understand better the factors that are having significant impacts on our economy.

The research was conducted in October among a nationally representative sample of 1,007 adults aged 18+.

Leontia Fannin, Head of Corporate Affairs at Permanent TSB, said the findings suggest a major disconnect between a perceived urgency among people to tackle climate change and their individual willingness to take personal action.

She said: “Our research indicates many people need greater incentives to change their personal behaviour in support of wider moves to address climate change. It is noteworthy that two-thirds of people feel it’s important to be seen to be environmentally aware but the same number feel they are already doing all they can and that any further changes are for others to make.

This suggests there is still a significant challenge to persuade people of the role they can play at a personal level to address climate change – and for financial institutions and other service providers to help make it easier and more attractive for people to change their behaviours.”

Paul Moran of Kantar remarked that “these findings have implications not just for individuals, but also for a wider range of interests. Companies and brands may have to re-evaluate the assumptions they have made regarding consumers’ perceptions of climate change and sustainability, but also policy makers will need to take heed of what the public expects their role to be.”

Behavioural Scientist Claire Cogan of BehaviourWise who worked on the project, said: “Our research reveals that despite high awareness and concern about climate change, when seen in the context of our day-to-day lives climate change is competing with many other issues for our attention and not always winning.”

Key findings of the survey

Primary responsibility for addressing climate change: 27% say it is primarily up to Government to address climate change, 23% say it is a personal responsibility and 16% say that the onus is on the construction/manufacturing sector.

Willingness to change car use: 61% say we need to move away from dependency on petrol or diesel cars but only 32% have walked, cycled or used public transport instead of using a car at least once in the past 3 months

Little enthusiasm for more taxes on air travel and petrol/diesel cars: Just 31% favour higher taxes on petrol/diesel cars compared to 43% opposing such a move, while less than half (47%) favour higher taxes on air travel

Willingness to change eating habits: 54% say they are willing to change what they eat but only 30% have substituted meat with a meat-free alternative at least once in the last 3 months

Willingness to retrofit house to save energy:...

&Open, a global gifting platform that sends thoughtful customer gifts at scale, has announced that it will create 100+ new jobs over the next 12 months. This growth will facilitate further expansion into Europe and the US, bringing the total global headcount up to 160 by the end of 2022.

The roles will be created across a number of functions, specifically focusing on Product, Engineering, Sales, Customer Success and Operations. Though most of the existing team is based in Dublin, &Open is equipped to hire fully-remote employees.

&Open is a powerful SaaS platform that improves business performance by building customer and employee loyalty through the art of gifting. The platform supports Sales, Marketing, Customer Experience and People/HR teams by facilitating thoughtful acts of care, thus inspiring increased retention and advocacy.

&Open helps brands curate high-quality, design-led and responsibly-sourced gifts for various kinds of customers and campaigns. From hand-poured candles to beloved subscriptions to charitable donations, &Open empowers choice by partnering with best-in-class brand partners. Some of its current clients include Airbnb, Intercom, Reebok, MADE and Spotify.

As companies strive to keep customers and employees engaged amidst a global pandemic, &Open has seen a period of exponential growth in the past year, with the number of gifts sent per week increasing from 3,500 to 35,000 across a six-month period.

&Open plans to sustain this unprecedented demand for their platform by continuing to attract top talent to their rapidly-growing team. In recent months, &Open has made a number of senior hires from some of the biggest tech companies in the world (i.e. Google, Pinterest, Facebook, Amazon), with the company’s most recent hire, Adele Cooper, joining the ranks as Chief Revenue Officer.

Jonathan Legge, CEO and Co-founder of &Open, said the company is growing its headcount in line with its clients’ needs: “Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in &Open’s story and we are very excited about what the future holds as we continue on our current growth trajectory. In 2022, we aim to further expand our product offering while continuing to establish partnerships with leading, global brands.

The key to our success will be attracting the best talent possible — people who are committed to our mission of helping clients connect with their customers through sending tailored gifts on a global scale. Our team will have the flexibility to work from our Dublin headquarters or from home in a way that works for our clients, employees and overall business.”

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, said:

“It’s great to see &Open expanding its operations and creating highly skilled jobs in Dublin. I’m especially pleased to see remote working options available. &Open is an excellent example of an Irish start-up, expanding internationally and I wish the team the very best as they grow their numbers and aim for even greater success in 2022.”

To find out more about careers at &Open, please visit:

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Christmas is a great opportunity to teach younger members of the family some environmentally positive habits to help the world around them.

Tip To Be More Carbon Conscious

As part of its brand new Dirty Delivery 2021 Report, – which reveals how online shopping habits can contribute significantly towards the global carbon footprint – the personal finance experts at money.co.uk have compiled the following tips on how parents can introduce some eco-friendly and carbon reducing behaviour to kids this festive season:

Encourage kids to give back. In the week or so leading up to Christmas Day, give your child a cardboard box and ask them to empty any unwanted toys they no longer play with or clothes they no longer wear to it. They can then help you take the box to a local shelter or charity shop in order to ensure the items are reused by others in the future.

If your child is slightly older, volunteering some of their free time to a soup kitchen, homeless shelter or in a care home during their school Christmas break is also another fantastic way of giving back to the local community, especially if they can travel by foot and reduce their carbon emissions in the process!

Incorporate festive recycling into your child’s chores. One way to incentivise your child to care more about environmental causes and implementing green changes is to assign them recycling chores around the home in order to earn pocket money or allowance.

Put them in charge of collecting, flattening and sorting any recyclable cardboard, plastic or glass that will inevitably accumulate during the festive season, and teach them the importance of the process for the greater good. Then, come January, let them visit the local recycling centre to see where their hard work pays off.

Shop locally and support small businesses. As the Dirty Delivery Report reveals, more than one in five of consumers who plan to spend less this year than during Christmas 2020 put their decision down to wanting to enjoy a ‘carbon neutral’ festive period.

Christmas shopping with your children locally – rather than encouraging them to order items for delivery from all over the country or further afield- promotes an eco-friendly environment. It’s also beneficial for them to learn all about the importance of supporting small businesses who can really benefit from sales this time of year.

Educate your children about climate change. You can teach your children from a very early age about how important it is to look after our environment, and there are some fantastic websites, apps and books for kids of all ages to learn from.

Young people, now more than ever, are at the forefront of spreading awareness and shedding light on reducing their carbon footprint, so the earlier the education on climate change starts, the sooner children can start doing their bit to help the planet and future generations.

Teach kids how to cook/prepare leftovers so food doesn’t go to waste. There is every chance that many households will over-purchase on groceries this Christmas, and one way to teach your children about the subject of reducing food waste is to allow them to have some fun and get creative in the kitchen with the leftovers. There are multiple recipes you can find online for some inspiration, and your Christmas Dinner definitely does not and should not go to waste. Try whipping up a boxing day stir-fry or fajitas with any leftover turkey, a pigs in blanket pasta bake, or even a vegetable omelette with any leftover potatoes or vegetables you have lying around.

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Irish Tech News are Ireland’s No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland’s No.1 Tech Podcast too.

You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here:

If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.

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Cryptocurrency seems to be everywhere but if you’ve never before been interested in the topic, it’s quite possible that you know nothing about it. In order to stay in the loop when it comes to the latest insights, it’s vital that you actually understand what cryptocurrency is, how it evolved to where it is now, where it can be used, and what the most popular types are. Here is a short guide on everything you should know about cryptos.

A short overview of cryptocurrency

While the history of early electronic money goes back to the 1980s, the first decentralized cryptocurrency as we know them today – Bitcoin – was created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto. This is the alias used by the person or persons that are credited for the development of Bitcoin and the first blockchain database. While many people have claimed to be Nakamoto, their true identity was never revealed.

Other cryptocurrencies followed shortly after. In 2011, Namecoin and Litecoin appeared, while 2012 saw Peercoin. Today, there are over 10,000 cryptocurrencies on the market.

What Are Cryptos?

So, what exactly are cryptos? They are a type of currency that is completely virtual – meaning that we can’t put physical notes or coins in our pockets and wallets. They can be generated through the process of mining or bought from brokers and are used to store money anonymously. You can purchase Bitcoin or some other cryptocurrency with traditional money.

Something that should be mentioned when talking about cryptocurrencies is that they can be very volatile. For example, in 2013, Bitcoin went from being worth $1,000 to $300 while in 2017, it reached even $10,000. With that in mind, just as with any type of currency, staying up-to-date is always essential.

Furthermore, even though not every cryptocurrency works in the same way, they mostly use blockchain technology in order to keep the transactions secure. When it comes to security, the system is more secure as more publicly recorded transactions are added to the blockchain.

However, it should be noted that cryptos are still vulnerable to cyberattacks as well as that scams and money laundering are also possible.

The constantly evolving use

When it appeared on the market, cryptocurrency was not immediately widespread. For a while, they were only used in specific environments such as the deep and dark web. This was due to the fact that most businesses were not familiar with this payment method and it was not available in many places.

On the other hand, nowadays, cryptocurrency has a wide range of uses. For example, you can use it to order pizza online or book a vacation. Tesla announced that buying a Tesla car with Bitcoin will also be possible.

Furthermore, it is becoming more and more accepted in the online casino sector as well. As industries like these always put security first, Bitcoin is becoming a standard payment method for online casinos. And when it comes to describing these types of casinos, Irishluck has the best point. According to Cameron Murphy, writer at Irishluck, crypto casinos are super private and secure places to indulge in your casino games. This means that you don’t need to overthink the security of your investments.

However, it needs to be said that most brick-and-mortar shops, casinos, and businesses still don’t accept this type of payment.

What is more, while there are countries such as El Salvador and Cuba, which have recognized cryptocurrency as legal tender, there are also those that are not as open to the payment method. For example, China and Turkey are two countries that have banned cryptocurrency altogether, with the former declaring all cryptocurrency transactions illegal.

The most popular types

Lastly, as there are over 10,000 different options on the market, we should go through some of the most popular ones that you can choose if you ever decide to start investing in cryptocurrencies.

For starters, you need to keep up with Bitcoin as it is still quite relevant. Although it is the oldest, most...

Ericsson global insights reveal an almost 300-fold increase in mobile data traffic since 2011, the year in which Ericsson Mobility Report was first published.

The findings, based on current and historical network data, are included in the special ten-year edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report November 2021. The report looks back at some of the key trends and events that have shaped the last decade, as well as revealing the latest forecasts toward 2027.

The premise that 5G will become the fastest deployed mobile generation to date is enhanced with an updated estimate of close to 660 million 5G subscriptions by the end of this year. The increase is due to stronger than expected demand in China and North America, driven partly by decreasing prices of 5G devices.

There was also a net addition of 98 million 5G subscriptions globally in Q3 2021, compared to 48 million new 4G subscriptions. At the end of 2021, it is estimated that 5G networks will cover more than two billion people.

According to the latest forecasts, 5G is on track to become the dominant mobile access technology by subscriptions globally by 2027.

By this time, 5G is expected to account for around 50 per cent of all mobile subscriptions worldwide – covering 75 per cent of the world’s population and carrying 62 per cent of the global smartphone traffic.

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks, Ericsson, says: “Mobile communication has had an incredible impact on society and business over the last ten years. When we look ahead to 2027, mobile networks will be more integral than ever in how we interact, live and work. Our latest Ericsson Mobility Report shows that the pace of change is accelerating, with technology playing a crucial role.”

Since 2011, the deployment of 4G LTE networks has been pivotal in generating 5.5 billion new smartphone connections worldwide, contributing to the market availability of more than 20,000 different 4G device models.

The report indicates a much earlier technology lifecycle of 5G devices, with 5G handsets today accounting for 23 percent of global volumes, compared to 8 percent of 4G handsets at the corresponding point in its lifecycle.

This is helping to fuel the exponential growth of mobile data traffic. Mobile network data traffic was up 42 percent year-on-year in Q3 2021 at approximately 78EB, including traffic generated by Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services.

In Q3, more mobile data traffic was generated than all mobile traffic ever generated up until the end of 2016. New forecasts reveal that total mobile network data traffic is likely to reach 370EB by the end of 2027.

The report also reveals that the nature of mobile connections is changing rapidly, contributing to the continued rise in mobile data traffic. Broadband IoT has now surpassed 2G/3G as the segment that connects the largest share of IoT applications.

It is expected to account for 47 percent of all cellular IoT connections by the end of 2021, compared to 37 percent for 2G/3G and 16 percent for Massive IoT technologies (NB-IoT and Cat-M).

New forecasts reaffirm the rapid acceleration of massive IoT deployments in coming years, spanning use cases such as e-health wearables, logistical asset tracking, environmental monitoring and smart meters, and smart manufacturing tracking and monitoring devices. Massive IoT deployments are forecast to account for 51 percent of all cellular IoT connections by 2027.

In the same forecast period, FWA connections are forecast to grow almost threefold – from 88 million by the end of 2021, to around 230 million in 2027. Almost half of these connections are expected to be carried over 5G networks.

To read the full report visit:

This year’s UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was on November 25 and put a spotlight on the digital dimension of violence against women and girls. The New Council of Europe has recommended that specific actions are imposed to tackle the arising problem.

Council of Europe recommendation

The rapid development of information and communication technologies facilitates new avenues for violence against women and girls, exposing them to increased risks of abuse, which includes body shaming (mocking someone’s bodily shape, size, or appearance), cyber-flashing (sending unsolicited sexual images online) and also doxing (sharing a target’s personal information online without consent).

In its first recommendation on the “digital dimension” of violence against women, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) defines and outlines the problem of both gender based violence against women committed online and technology-enabled attacks against women, such as legally obtainable tracking devices that enable perpetrators to stalk their victims.

Internet security companies identify “stalkerware” or “spouseware”, for example, that can follow someone’s private life without their knowledge or consent, by accessing personal information such as contacts, call logs, photos, videos, SMS messages and even physical location.

Monitoring implementation of the Istanbul Convention, GREVIO has identified major gaps in domestic laws regarding violence against women through such technologies and online. Its recommendation establishes a clear definition of the digital dimension of violence against women and proposes specific actions to take, based on the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention: prevention, protection, prosecution and coordinated policies.

To date, a universal typology/definition of behaviours or action considered to group together all forms of violence against women perpetrated online or through technology is lacking. The recommendation coins the term “the digital dimension of violence against women” as comprehensive enough to comprise both online acts of violence and those perpetrated through technology, including technology yet to be developed.

Statistics reveal the scope of the problem. For example, according to a report published by Women’s Aid, 45% of victims of domestic violence have experienced some form of abuse online during their relationship, while 48% reported having been subject to harassment or abuse online after ending the relationship.

Specific actions in the recommendation to deal with the digital dimension of violence against women include:

Reviewing relevant legislation in accordance with the digital dimension of violence against women. Undertaking initiatives to eradicate gender stereotypes and discrimination, especially among men and boys. Promoting the inclusion of digital literacy and online safety at all levels of education. Developing and disseminating information on the legal avenues and support services. Making support services and counselling accessible to all victims. Providing training and resources to specialists and telephone helplines. Incentivising internet intermediaries to ensure content moderation. Equipping law enforcement with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively investigate and prosecute. Ensuring the publication of incidence reports by the criminal justice system. Encouraging internet intermediaries to share responsibility and take action to put an end to impunity for digital acts of violence.

Including the digital dimension of violence against women in national strategies and action plans. Establishing a system to collect data on violence against women in the digital dimension. Ensuring that data on suicide and gender-based killings contain relevant information about online harassment

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Coillte and ESB have unveiled their new 50:50 joint venture company, FuturEnergy Ireland. The two commercial semi-state companies have joined forces for an exciting new venture in renewable energy development in what is a major boost to Ireland’s Climate Action agenda.

The aim of FuturEnergy Ireland is to materially help the country deliver on its green energy targets, achieving net zero emissions by 2050, as set out in the Government’s Climate Action Plan and legislated for under the Climate Action Act.

FuturEnergy Ireland

The Coillte-ESB joint venture is looking to actively drive Ireland’s transition to a low carbon economy by developing 1GW of wind energy projects by 2030, enough to power more than 500,000 homes.

FuturEnergy Ireland is dedicated to developing best-in-class, commercially successful wind farms while maximising the support from local communities. This is an opportunity to combat climate change and contribute to a cleaner, brighter and greener future for everyone in Ireland.

FuturEnergy Ireland’s wind farm projects have the potential to play a fundamental role in a green economic recovery by creating jobs in rural areas and growing a green industrial sector, while also funding local development and enhancing amenities for host communities.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, said: “The Climate Action Plan 2021 sets out a more ambitious goal of up to 80% of electricity being generated from renewables by 2030, further reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the country.

“Onshore wind has been the predominant renewable technology to date, has delivered enormously for Ireland and will continue to play an important role in reaching this 80% level. This ambitious joint venture between Coillte and ESB, with its mandate for the delivery of 1GW of renewable energy by 2030, is positioned to show real leadership in reaching our national climate goals.”

Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett, said: “It is exciting to see Coillte and ESB join forces in the formation of FuturEnergy Ireland, leveraging their respective strengths and heritage in the onshore wind sector.

“Responsible development of this essential green infrastructure will demonstrate how multiple benefits can be derived for all, including local communities, from Ireland’s significant and unique land.”

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD, said: “The successful delivery of renewable energy infrastructure by FuturEnergy Ireland will be a strong source of value creation in the coming years.”

As custodian of 7% of Ireland’s land, Coillte plays a critical role in tackling climate change through the active management of its land and forest resources and the manufacture of sustainable forest products.

To date, Coillte land has been a key enabler of Ireland successfully hitting its target of satisfying 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020. Coillte’s participation in FuturEnergy Ireland is part of the company’s wider strategic plan and commitment to creating a sustainable future.

Imelda Hurley, Chief Executive of Coillte, said: “The launch of FuturEnergy Ireland is a significant milestone for Coillte and the culmination of over 20 years of experience in this sector. It sees our entire renewable energy business transfer into the new joint venture company, which aims to deliver 1GW of renewable energy projects by 2030.”

Paddy Hayes, Chief Executive of ESB, said: “At ESB we believe that developing and connecting renewable electricity makes a real difference for the customers and communities we serve, taking us closer to Net Zero. ESB’s commitment to FuturEnergy Ireland builds on a strong history of successful partnerships with Coillte. It is an important investment in building a Brighter Future.”

The new company is led by CEO Peter Lynch, former managing director of Coillte’s Renewable Energy Division. Lynch said: “With the very strong mandate received from its tw...

Recent research revealed that cybercrime, incuding cyberattacks, cost the Irish economy €9.6 billion last year and revealed there was an increase of 50% in online crime.

Confronting the threat of cyberattacks head on

In light of recent government advice in relation to working from home, it looks as though many workers in Ireland will have to wait a while longer before they can resume life as normal.

Though the ‘great reopening’ that saw thousands return to the office in September was brief, it presented an opportunity for workers to experience what the post-pandemic office will look like. People are eager to return in some capacity and are patiently awaiting the next phase of Ireland’s reopening upon government advice.

However, IT security professionals and cybersecurity teams may not be as eager. Many have become more conflicted, having spent the last two years navigating the security complexities associated with remote working.

The reality of the last two years has been a revolutionised workplace—a more flexible, dispersed IT environment where endpoint visibility and control is more challenging than ever. Suspicious emails and unauthorised webcam access are the top security concerns for those working from home in Ireland.

As threat actors become more sophisticated to take advantage of this new remote and hybrid working era, security teams must tackle the emerging threat of the new shadow IT. It has grown exponentially on a local level in recent years with the adoption of cloud-based applications and services. While unauthorised software or hardware can increase innovation and agility, it can also expose the organisation to significant risks.

Recent research from HP Wolf Security has found that unsanctioned and unmanaged home working devices represent a critical emerging risk – placing unprecedented operational pressure on security and IT teams.

Invisible layers of protection

In the hustle to maintain business continuity and to retain some sense of normality during the crisis, security processes and policies were overlooked in many organisations, making them vulnerable without any secure layers of protection.

At the time, this was understandable given the external factors at play, but it has led to an exponential growth of shadow IT – which typically refers to non-IT departments deploying hardware or software outside of those mandated by IT teams.

During lockdown, nearly half of global office workers bought a PC, laptop or printer, according to the new HP Wolf Security Out of Sight & Out of Mind report. The majority (68%) of them claim security wasn’t a major consideration in their purchase, with functionality and cost rated more important. 43% say their laptop wasn’t even checked or installed by IT, meaning that the most basic step in ensuring new device security was overlooked.

The responsibility isn’t on IT departments alone, with almost a quarter of office workers in Ireland revealing that they use their employer’s business video communications accounts to socialise with friends and family, and when it comes to passwords for work, a quarter use the same passwords for personal accounts or devices. Both of these actions can place organisations and IT departments in compromised positions.

The impact of these behaviours and attitudes creates a situation where many remote and hybrid workers are using unsanctioned and unsecured devices. A fifth of workers claim to have clicked on malicious links since working from home. In fact, three-quarters of IT leaders say they’ve seen an increase in this activity. Yet very few (30%) workers report these errant clicks to IT, either because they’re afraid to, they don’t think it’s important, or feel it’s a hassle.

In Ireland specifically, one in ten claim they would not immediately tell their employer if they realised a device they were working on had been compromised.

Securing the future of work

So, how can IT managers overcome these challenges to ensure the future of work is secure? Th...

TikTok has launched Creator Next, which helps eligible creators as they grow and develop their TikTok communities. Using Creator Next, you can easily unlock new and existing tools that allows you to turn your creativity and passions into something greater. You also have numerous ways to maximise your monetisation opportunities, including collaborating with brands and even just making more incredible TikTok videos.

An important part of TikTok’s Creator Next program is TikTok’s Tips feature which is built on Stripe Connect, Stripe’s platform product that’s helping companies including Clubhouse, Medium, Nifty Gateway, Patreon, Stir, Substack and Twitter build two-way marketplaces that manage both pay-ins and payouts, helping creators around the world make money more easily from users in 185 countries.

This is helping to create a vibrant ecosystem of creators, and a new ecosystem of users supporting them as they earn a living doing what they do best. Stripe research shows that 41% more creators on a sample of 50 Stripe Connect creator platforms are now earning a living wage year-over-year thanks to Stripe’s tools.

In total, creators on just these 50 platforms have earned more than $10 billion to date. You can see more of these users, and the Stripe-powered platforms helping them, in the video below.

Alex Vogenthaler, Product Lead for Connect and Enterprise at Stripe commented: “Stripe was built to arm upstart entrepreneurs, and creators are some of the most important today. Stripe’s tools are helping millions of creators and businesses around the world earn money online—exactly what we mean by ‘growing the GDP of the internet’.”

Some of the TikTok Next Creator features include:

TikTok Creator Fund

TikTok Creator Fund rewards you for doing what you do best, making incredible TikTok videos. It’s TikTok’s way of celebrating and supporting creators for their dedication, ingenuity, and spirit.

TikTok Creator Fund

TikTok Creator Marketplace (TTCM) is the official platform for brand and creator collaborations on TikTok. Brands and agencies can browse and search TTCM’s marketplace of creators who’ve joined TTCM across 24 countries.

Live Gifts

TikTok awards Diamonds to creators based on the popularity of their LIVE videos. A key metric that TikTok uses to assess the popularity of a LIVE video is the number of LIVE Gifts sent to a creator’s content. Creators may then redeem these Diamonds for money and transfer the money to their connected account.

Video Gifts

Similar to the LIVE Gifts feature, the Video Gifts feature offers an additional way for creators to collect Diamonds from TikTok for the popularity of their content. While LIVE Gifts are exclusive to LIVE content, Video Gifts are eligible for short videos.

Who’s Eligible?

To be eligible to participate in TikTok Creator Next, creators must be 18 years of age or older, and meet minimum follower requirements which can vary depending on where you are based. Creators must also have at least 1,000 video views in the last 30 days, have at least three posts in the last 30 days, have an account that is in good standing with Community Guidelines and be based in the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy or Spain. Canada and Australia will also have access in the coming months, but there is no news on when Irish creators will get access.

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In 1976, despite the reservations of some corporate board members, Analog Devices began operations in a small SFADCO advance factory unit in Limerick with a start-up team of 13 people – among them the author of The Future Years, Pat Cunneen.

Today, Analog’s Limerick wafer fabrication facility is one of the most important success stories in the company’s 50-year history. It employs over 1,200 scientists, engineers, production and support staff in one of the largest, most successful, most technologically advanced campuses in the country and has achieved a sustained stream of world-class innovative new products, profitability, and growth. In his Afterword for this book, Analog Co-founder Ray Stata reflects that “the Analog Limerick story vividly illustrates what is possible against all odds”.

With its consistently high levels of added-value employment, investment and growth, Analog has been hugely important to the economy of Limerick. In turn, the Limerick campus has been the source of extraordinary talent, hugely important to the continued global success of Analog Devices Inc., and has been a ‘jewel in the crown’ of the IDA as it regularly showcases Limerick’s success with its leading-edge technologies and advanced manufacturing processes.

Pat Cunneen’s story covers the first dozen or so years of the start-up, recording and celebrating the success of all the people who worked in Analog over those early years, including those sadly lost along the way. It touches on the technology and operational challenges, the vibrant sports and social environment but, mostly, it is a story about people.

The Future Years is an important contribution to the industrial history of Limerick – and Ireland – over the past half-century.