Here's the controversy that forced shutdown of Dublin-New York art portal that offered live stream

An art project connecting Dublin and New York through a live video "portal" has been closed temporarily within less than a week of its launch due to instances of misconduct.

The portal, featuring a continuous live stream displayed on large circular screens in both cities, was crafted by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys. Each structure, weighing 3.5 tonnes, boasted a 2.4-metre diameter screen.

It is positioned at the junction of Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street in New York. In Dublin, it is placed at the corner of North Earl Street and O’Connell Street.

The portals were put in place in order to foster a sense of connection between distant places.

However, reports surfaced of users engaging in "inappropriate behaviour" such as displaying swear words. Some even flashedtheir body parts, and a few people in Dublin even transmitted footage of the 9/11 attacks for New York viewers to see.

Dublin City Council and the Flatiron Nomad Partnership, responsible for the installations, swiftly responded to address the issue.

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The council announced plans to implement technical solutions within 24 hours to curb such behaviour, while the Flatironrevealed intentions to install software updates and increase on-site staff and barriers.

Amid efforts to rectify the situation, the portal remained inactive on Monday and Tuesday (May 13-14), with hopes of resuming operations by Wednesday morning (May 15).

Dublin City Council expressed disappointment that their initial solution, involving blurring, was deemed inadequate.

“Dublin city council had hoped to have a solution in place today, but unfortunately the preferred solution, which would have involved blurring, was not satisfactory," it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Flatiron Nomad Partnership said that the inappropriate actions stemmed from a "very small minority" and affirmed that the overwhelming majority of visitors had engaged with the art installation appropriately, experiencing the intended sense of joy and connection.

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Initially planned to remain on display until autumn, the art installation gained global attention and stirred controversy since its launch on May 8.

Mostly friendly gestures

While most interactions involved friendly gestures and playful exchanges, some incidents, including egg-throwing and displaying offensive imagery, led to the temporary shutdown.

Founder of the portal and artist Gylys said, “Portals are an invitation to meet people above borders and differences and to experience our world as it really is—united and one."

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“The livestream provides a window between distant locations, allowing people to meet outside of their social circles and cultures, transcend geographical boundaries, and embrace the beauty of global interconnectedness."

The Dublin City Council announced on May 8 that the Dublin portal was designed to also connect Dublin with various cities and destinations in Brazil, Poland, and Lithuania.

(With inputs from agencies)