A cell phone company talking about the dangers of texting — irony or not? [duplicate]

There was a presentation at our school about texting and driving. It was held by AT&T, a cell phone company. Would it be considered ironic that a cell phone company is talking about the dangers of texting and driving?

If so, which type of irony is this?

Solution 1:

I wouldn't consider that irony. Here's a comparison that may illustrate the difference:

• If Bob, a representative of AT&T, tells you not to text and drive, that isn't ironic. It's actually pretty responsible.

• If Bob tells you not to text and drive, and then, while driving away from the presentation venue, gets into a car accident because he was texting while driving, that's a little closer. But it's still not quite irony, just hypocrisy on Bob's part.

• If Bob erects a neon billboard warning people not to text and drive, but the billboard is so distracting that it increases the number of vehicle accidents people get into, that's irony! (And possibly also tragicomedic.)

Solution 2:

I would say it's not at all ironic.

The only way you could call it ironic, is if it's apparent that cell phone companies are there to encourage people to text and drive.

However, this example is a cell phone company teaching their consumers how to use the product safely. It would be similar to a gun company teaching people gun safety, it's not ironic, it's appropriate.

Irony, would be a cigarette company teaching people how to eat healthily (because the cigarette company's products are inherently unhealthy) or a car company sponsoring a cycle race (because cycling is a competitor to the company's product).