THE PORTAL BETWEEN Dublin and New York has reopened, now with limited hours and extra blurring.
The livestream restarted this morning at 2pm in Dublin, and 9am in Manhattan, after a temporary pause since Tuesday to iron out some issues.
The portal has attracted thousands of curious locals and tourists, even connecting Dubliners with loved ones who’ve moved to the Big Apple.
However, wholesome moments were eclipsed by some visitors engaging in “inappropriate” behaviour, as described by Dublin City Council.
To reduce the likelihood of more of these incidents, the council and Portals.org, which has created the technology, announced a “proximity-based solution”.
In a joint statement, they said: “The Portal sculptures are not meant to be touched or stepped upon.
“We have taken steps to limit instances of people stepping on the Portal and holding phones up to the camera lens.
“Now, if individuals step on the Portal and obstruct the camera, it will trigger a blurring of the livestream for everyone on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The portal will now also have specific hours of operation, livestreaming only from 6am to 4pm in New York City and 11am to 9pm in Dublin.
“The New York site will continue to have on-site security during all hours of operation, as it has had since the Portal debuted,” the statement said.
“Additionally, fencing has been installed in front of the New York Portal and more signage and spacing decals have been added to assist with crowd management and guide visitors to the optimal spots for interacting with the Portal.”
For the Dublin site, “physical design features” are being implemented to assist with crowd management.
Portals.org artist and founder Benediktas Gylys said: “As humans we are creating the Portals experience together. I invite local communities not only to enjoy but to care about their Portals and how other community members are approaching the sculptures.”
