The head of UCD’s computer science department has apologised to students after they received an email asking for help with developing a consent app.
Screenshots from the email have since gone viral, which was reportedly sent by a fourth year medical student to the computer science department and forwarded on to third year, final year and postgraduate students.
The email explains how the app called ‘Consent’ would ‘allow for others to quickly verify their consent prior to sexual activities’ and stop ‘life destroying legal ramifications’.
One part of the email reads, 'Due to consent not being recorded/denied/retracted the life-destroying ramifications that follow, as well as allowing for a clear opportunity if the other, for instance female, does not wish to continue with the act - and leaves out the lack of communication which is responsible for the destruction of thousands of lives each the year.'
There was serious backlash from students who have labelled the app idea “disturbing” and “very worrying”.
https://twitter.com/jadeswilson/status/1105239750208831491
Head of the computer science department Pádraig Cunningham has since contacted students to apologise and said the email ‘was issued in error’.
The Independent reports that he wrote in an email to students, ‘On behalf of the School, I would like to sincerely apologise to the students who have received this email and for the offense it has caused.
‘The School of Computer Science will review and improve its approval process for all proposed emails to be sent to students on our lists to ensure that this can not happen again.’
Brought to you by Diageo Ireland. Over 18s only. Please drink responsibly. Guinness 0.0 Bartenders’ Race will take to the streets of Dublin 8 as part of The Liberties Festival 2026. A much-loved Dublin tradition is being revived this July, as part of the Liberties Festival 2026. At this year’s Liberties Festival, the Guinness 0.0 […]
Brought to you by Cairn Community Games Here’s how you can get involved in the action, and support your local community. For almost six decades, Community Games have been on a mission to boost the participation of young people in sport and arts, with stacked calendars of events that not only promote health, fitness and […]
Brought to you by all four Dublin local authorities and supported by the Department of Housing. The recently launched scheme offers a range of benefits for landlords in Dublin, including guaranteed income and long-term security. A new scheme launched by Dublin City Council in conjunction with all local Dublin councils – Fingal County Council, South […]
