THE IRISH TIMES has launched a Social Reader on its website that encourages readers to seamlessly share articles and stories they have read on irishtimes.com with their Facebook friends.

The newspaper said it was part of a broader strategy to better serve younger and digitally engaged readers.

Under existing sharing options, readers must make an active decision to share an article. With the reader, this will happen automatically, unless it is switched off.

“The Social Reader puts our readers in control of what gets seen by their circle of friends,” said Johnny Ryan, chief innovation officer of The Irish Times. “Privacy is of paramount importance to internet users and we have built it in to The Irish Times Social Reader. The Social Reader has a prominent on/off switch to give users full control of what they share. If they are reading an article they do not want to share, they simply switch sharing off.”

Facebook users can log onto the Social Reader via irishtimes.com. As users begin to switch on the reader, they will see recommendations of stories that are of most interest to their Facebook friends.

The Irish Times Social Reader is also an important part of the newspaper’s engagement with Irish emigrants, Dr Ryan added.

“The Irish Times Social Reader allows them to keep up to date with events at home and gives them a forum to participate in discussion as though they are still here.”

Read more about Social Reader here: www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/socialreader/about.html