# Irish consent ad backlash

News · Heat 2.0 / 10 · 2 shows · 4m airtime

In October 2026, We Consent, a project of the Dublin Rape Crisis Center, released a 25-second PSA telling children they need not hug their grandparents. Dublin City Councilor Gavin Pepper and online critics said it portrays a loving hug as strange or suspicious, and some flagged that the uncomfortable teenager is the only non-white member of the family. The center has not responded to the criticism. The discussion has since widened, with one US show describing the spot as a government-run We-Consent.ie ad telling grandparents to ask before hugging grandchildren.

Page: https://boilpoints.com/point/irish_consent_ad_backlash_2264013707

## Segments

- [Morning Wire](https://boilpoints.com/u/morningwire), 2026-10-22, 11:41 to 12:53: **Reports the backlash to the We Consent PSA**. Covers the backlash to the We Consent PSA: the 25-second ad, Councilor Gavin Pepper's objection that a grandparent's hug should not be framed as suspicious, and criticism of casting the only non-white family member as the uncomfortable child. New angle: Dublin City Councilor Gavin Pepper and online critics attacked the We Consent PSA for framing a grandparent's hug as suspicious.
- [Adam Carolla Show](https://boilpoints.com/u/adamcarollashow), 2026-10-26, 1:41:04 to 1:43:54: **Plays and mocks the Irish consent ad**. Plays the Irish We-Consent.ie ad and mocks it, arguing consent PSAs never reach the people who need them. No detail on who funded or runs the campaign. New angle: Ireland's government is running a We-Consent.ie ad telling grandparents to ask before hugging grandchildren.