Dublin-New York Portal back open with new restrictions in place

Opinion
20 May 24

Image taken from DCC X account.

These restrictions come as a result of the anti-social behaviour that occurred last week, which included reported images of 9/11, nudity, and swear words.

The Portal linking Dublin City to Manhattan via live-steam was back open on Sunday after a 6-day shutdown.

The Portal reopens with new restrictions following inappropriate behaviour on both the Dublin and New York side of the Portal sculptures.

In an effort to reduce further unsociable behaviour, Dublin City Council and Portals.org have created a ‘proximity-based solution.’ This new attribute works on a proximity basis, meaning that if people attempt to block the camera connecting the live stream, the screens on both Portals will be automatically blurred.

Additionally, restricted occupational hours have been put in place; the Portal will now only be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Dublin and 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. in New York.

In a joint statement, Dublin City Council and Portals.org have said, “We have taken steps to limit instances of people stepping on the Portal and holding phones up to the camera lens. The Portals.org team has implemented a proximity-based solution”.

Continuing, they explained, “Now, if individuals step on the Portal and obstruct the camera, it will trigger a blurring of the live stream for everyone on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The New York side will continue to have on-site security and will now include fencing to control crowds, as for the Dublin side, a physical layout is being implemented in order to control over crowding.

The Portal is awake again, come wave to some folks in the Big Apple!! 🍎 pic.twitter.com/ldy5p4W0qa

— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) May 19, 2024

The Portal, created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys, allows people in Dublin and New York to connect via two live-stream cameras at any time of day.

Regarding the antisocial behaviour, Gylys said, “As humans, we are creating the Portals experience together. I invite local communities not only to enjoy but also to care about their Portals and how other community members are approaching the sculptures.

Both the Council and Portals.org have expressed their excitement about the reopening of the Portal that “connects these two iconic cities”.