Dr. Kayla Cooley
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kaylaccooley.com
Dr. Kayla Cooley
@kaylaccooley.com
Suicidologist. Research and writings on suicide, the internet and extreme communities. Often hounding the media for safer reporting. Nonprofit director. Queer Mom.

Policy, activism, current affairs, community she/her

Ireland 🏳️‍🌈
It very likely will. Similar to extremist/harmful digital communities - when they’re banned from sites like Reddit, for example, the members don’t evaporate.

They regroup and build seedy, underground, free-for-all spaces. Places where you can buy almost anything.
February 5, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kayla Cooley
Please make it your new resolution to visit AskHistorians once a week, because we've never been this invested in overtaking another community.
February 1, 2026 at 7:53 PM
This is a knee-jerk response that looks good on paper but will likely drive more harm via seedier, community-moderated spaces. We’ve seen this before.
Sitting across the Oireachtas Children's Committee on online safety for children.

Very much getting the impression that a lot of politicians are reaching for the Under-16 ban. Momentum behind that rather than a deeper understanding of platforms, algorithms and any alternative view.
January 29, 2026 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kayla Cooley
The use of the counselling notes of victims in court cases is cruel, inhumane and abusive - it is morally and ethically abhorrent, counter to every single tenet of therapeutic practice, and a final betrayal of an already profoundly traumatised person.

#counsellingnotes

1/
January 28, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kayla Cooley
We need to get real. Met Éireann is not to blame for flooding damage - poor planning, building on flood plains, not implementing over 20 years of remedial action are. We were warned decades ago winter rain would increase, but continued doing nothing and built on space needed for water #spéirghorm
January 28, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Hi @limericklive.bsky.social I’ve made contact a few times now in relation to some articles that go against national and international guidelines for reporting on suicide, but haven’t gotten a response. Is there a preferred route of contact?
January 28, 2026 at 6:36 PM
It’s all gone Pete Tong in full council meeting.
January 26, 2026 at 4:44 PM
The tech discrepancies between Limerick county council meetings (Dooradoyle vs Adare-Rathkeale) is crazy. What a treat to be able to actually hear people, not to mind see them too at today’s full council meeting. What a time.
January 26, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Relieved to see that after some persistent pestering, The Limerick Post have amended their article published January 16th that went directly against national and international guidelines for responsible reporting on suicide.

If you see something, say something. Hold them to account.
January 23, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Just saw This American Life mentioned somewhere and it fit me thinking about my favourite episodes. I still think House on Loon Lake is one of the best pieces of audio storytelling of the twenty years.
January 22, 2026 at 8:43 PM
The unintended consequences of bans are often underestimated, until it’s too late.
January 19, 2026 at 10:05 PM
The absolute joy of seeing everyone’s pictures of the auroras. Times like this the “trending in Ireland” option would be excellent.
January 19, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Important piece of work by @theguardian.com Trans women in the US, fleeing desperate situations and seeking refugee status in the Netherlands.

open.spotify.com/episode/2j0A...
The transgender refugees fleeing the US
open.spotify.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:31 PM
“Death by suicide was the leading cause of death for both the LGB+ population and their heterosexual counterparts in the younger age groups, the study found, but the proportions were markedly higher in those identifying as LGB+.”

www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/01/deep...
"Deeply concerning" study shows LGB+ people's higher rates of suicide, drug & alcohol deaths - LGBTQ Nation
“There are some noticeable differences" between gay and straight deaths.
www.lgbtqnation.com
January 18, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kayla Cooley
are you displeased with today’s AI safety evaluation landscape and curious about what greater conceptual clarity, methodological soundness, and rigour in AI evaluation could look like? if so, consider coming to Dublin to pursue a PhD with me

apply here: aial.ie/hiring/phd-a...

pls repost
January 15, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Astonishing to see the Limerick Post’s recent coverage of suicide related events. Flying directly in the face of almost every media guideline for responsibly reporting on suicide. This is what happens when there is no mechanism for enforcing standards.
January 16, 2026 at 8:27 PM
“restricted for most AI systems right now” is also very telling. Totally grim.
Here’s the response it gave her… the middle paragraphs are very, very weird.

Why would you programme an AI to say this stuff?
January 15, 2026 at 11:18 AM
Had the opportunity to teach in @ucddublin.bsky.social new O’Connor Centre for Learning yesterday. Incredible building, massive collaborative, open-space working areas for students. Group seating in lecture theatre.
January 15, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Dr. Kayla Cooley
Hello! I am sharing information about my @researchireland.ie project Locating Loss: histories of infertility in landscapes and spaces. I would love to connect with researchers/ practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, so please share widely! Sharing again for morning Bluesky!
January 15, 2026 at 7:48 AM
I’ve put together a list of Irish academia and research related accounts, sharing for anyone interested. Plenty more great accounts to add and no doubt plenty I’ve missed (feel free to name drop) but here it is.

#SpeirGorm #Ireland

bsky.app/profile/did:...
January 13, 2026 at 8:35 AM
One simple thing media outlets can do to reduce the harm in reports on murder-suicide is to close their comment sections. Absolutely nothing helpful happens there.
When reporting on suicide and murder-suicide some details are wildly inappropriate and unhelpful. Irish media always fall well below the bar here. Do better #SpeirGorm
January 13, 2026 at 7:58 AM
The rental market in Limerick (and everywhere else) is already battering people, but just wait until the Ryder Cup rolls around. The madness is already unfolding.
January 13, 2026 at 4:58 AM
When reporting on suicide and murder-suicide some details are wildly inappropriate and unhelpful. Irish media always fall well below the bar here. Do better #SpeirGorm
January 9, 2026 at 7:45 AM
Something important I just learned as a new parent.. However many batteries you think are enough tonight, double it 😭
December 24, 2025 at 5:49 PM