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The story behind your social media feed, from BBC correspondent Marianna Spring and investigative journalist Matt Shea. 

Top Comment investigates what's blowing up online. From global events that go viral across social media, to bizarre moments that spill into real life, Marianna and Matt unpack the trends, theories and digital chaos shaping our world.

Marianna in Conspiracyland

A series of posts appearing to encourage violence between neighbouring UK schools has caused widespread moral panic, and prompted police forces to issue dispersal orders. But, with zero incidents reported, could the 'red vs blue' phenomenon be a phantom trend? Matt and Marianna discuss the knowledge gap between parents and younger people on social media, and how online frenzies can have dangerous real-world consequences.

Also, has Iran's retaliation to days of US-Israeli strikes exposed the reality of Dubai's flourishing influencer economy? As people in the UAE shelter from the threat of drones, content creators have been warned by the Emirati government about what they choose to share.

And, one of the world's biggest football journalists, Fabrizio Romano, is attracting criticism for a paid advert endorsing Saudi Arabia's humanitarian aid agency.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

School wars, Dubai's crisis PR, and is Fabrizio cancelled?

Over the past year, prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have exploded in popularity, as users bet on everything from battles in Ukraine to sex toys being thrown at sports games. So with concerns over both regulation and the prevalence of insider information inviting intense scrutiny, Matt has been examining how these platforms really work.

Also on this episode, is the recent rise in measles cases in London down to disinformation? With several proponents of vaccine scepticism being welcomed back to social media, Marianna explains how these often discredited accounts are being amplified online.

And, as the viral story of Punch the monkey and his orangutan companion drives mass sales of an Ikea soft toy, we consider how brands are increasingly looking to profit from organic content through 'trendjacking'.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Jonathan Greer. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Kalshi, Polymarket, and gamifying the future

If your feed has been flooded with content about the 'dangers' of western cities like London or San Francisco, you're not alone - it's part of a growing phenomenon known as decline porn, and it's driving narratives of political neglect and uncontrolled immigration.

On this episode, Marianna examines a niche take on this trend - AI videos which falsely portray zoos and waterparks in Croydon. She tracks down the original creator of these posts, and explains why they might not be as innocent as they seem.

Also, Matt has been investigating Clavicular - the internet's man of the moment. After signing up to his 'looksmaxxing' course, we discuss the controversial relationships propping up his virality, and what the mainstream media is getting wrong about the streaming sensation. 

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. The commissioning producer is Nathan Jones. The commissioning editor is Rhian Roberts. 

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

Decline porn explained, and why Clavicular is misunderstood

In this brand new weekly show, BBC correspondent Marianna Spring and investigative journalist Matt Shea talk through the stories behind your social media feed. From global events that go viral, to bizarre moments that spill into real life, Marianna and Matt unpack the trends, theories and digital chaos shaping our world.

Introducing... Top Comment

Can Coroners' courts cope with conspiracy? 

It’s been more than a year since Paloma Shemirani died after rejecting chemotherapy in favour of alternative methods. Her brother Gabriel blames the beliefs of their mum Kate - who is a prominent British conspiracy theorist - for his sister’s death. This summer, he’s found himself face to face with his mum for the first time since Paloma died at an inquest into how and why she lost her life. After investigating - and revealing - what happened to Paloma for the first time almost four months ago, the BBC’s social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring is back following the twists and turns of an inquest that has felt like Conspiracyland colliding with the real world. In the coroner’s court she see’s medics questioned by conspiracy theorists and tense family feuds unfolding in real-time. Could Paloma have been saved? And can society handle Conspiracyland?

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 6. The Inquest

Can people fight back against medical misinformation? In the months after Paloma’s death, her brothers say they want to prevent other deaths, and they believe social media companies should take stronger action against medical misinformation. Meanwhile her Mum, Kate Shemirani, takes to social media to share a different account of her death. She has promoted a range of unproven theories on social media and podcasts about how Paloma was murdered by medical staff. The BBC has not seen evidence to support this. The BBC’s social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring interrogates whether and how some politicians and social media companies are emboldening anti-medicine conspiracy theorists, and speaks to a former cancer surgeon and patient trying to bust cancer myths online. 

Host: Marianna Spring 
Producer: Anna Harris
Sound Engineer: Tony Churnside
Editor: Sam Bonham 
Commissioning producer: Nathan Jones
Commissioning editor: Rhian Roberts 

This was a BBC collaboration with Panorama.

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 5. A collective immune system

Are we equipped to deal with a rising tide of misinformation? The BBC’s social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring investigates how safeguarding procedures work and how social services and hospitals are trying to deal with the mainstreaming of medical misinformation. She speaks to a social worker who says it’s time for the law to be reviewed in England and finds out more about what happened to Paloma in the months after she left hospital. Were there missed opportunities to help her?

Host: Marianna Spring 
Producer: Anna Harris
Story Editor: Matt Willis
Sound Engineer: Tony Churnside
Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele
Editor: Sam Bonham 
Commissioning producer: Nathan Jones
Commissioning editor: Rhian Roberts 
 
This was a BBC collaboration with Panorama. Watch Cancer Conspiracy Theories on iPlayer now.

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 4. The Archaeologists

What are cancer patients seeing on social media? The BBC’s social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring goes down the cancer conspiracy rabbit hole to find out. She returns to the days Paloma spent in hospital after her cancer diagnosis to analyse the advice Paloma was being given by medical staff versus the advice she was receiving from alternative practioners and her Mum, Kate Shemirani. Marianna investigates Paloma’s mum’s platform as a conspiracy theory influencer and looks at the wider role some social media sites are playing in turbocharging accounts that promote health misinformation. Plus, she speaks to the Vice President of Royal College of Radiologists to understand how harmful content on social media is affecting patients. 

Host: Marianna Spring 
Producer: Anna Harris
Sound Engineer: Tony Churnside
Editor: Sam Bonham 
Commissioning producer: Nathan Jones
Commissioning editor: Rhian Roberts 

This was a BBC collaboration with Panorama.

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 3. Down the cancer conspiracy rabbit hole

Could the answer lie in the past? The BBC’s social media investigations correspondent, Marianna Spring, continues investigating what happened to Paloma Shemirani. She speaks to Paloma’s brothers to see if the answers could lie in the house they grew up in. Who is Paloma’s mum - prominent British conspiracy theorist influencer Kate Shemirani - and how did her beliefs evolve and impact Paloma and her siblings? Could her mum’s conspiracy theory views have influenced Paloma’s decision to reject chemotherapy?

Host: Marianna Spring 
Producer: Anna Harris
Story Editor: Matt Willis
Sound Designer: Tony Churnside
Editor: Sam Bonham 
Commissioning producer: Nathan Jones
Commissioning editor: Rhian Roberts 
 
This was a BBC collaboration with Panorama. Watch Cancer Conspiracy Theories on iPlayer now.

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 2. Conspiracyland at home

What happened to Paloma? Aged 22, Paloma Shemirani has her whole life ahead of her. She’s recently graduated, moved into a flat and found a job. But just days before Christmas in 2023 she receives bad news, she has cancer - an aggressive but treatable form of Lymphoma. Despite a good prognosis, Paloma decides - at least initially - to reject chemotherapy. The BBC’s social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring investigates what happened and what this tells us about the mainstreaming of anti-medicine ideas. 

Host: Marianna Spring 
Producer: Anna Harris
Story Editor: Matt Willis
Sound Designer: Tony Churnside
Editor: Sam Bonham 
Commissioning producer: Nathan Jones
Commissioning editor: Rhian Roberts 

This was a BBC collaboration with Panorama.

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 1. The Dove and the Pigeon

Do you know someone who’s fallen down the rabbit hole? During the investigation, Marianna’s inbox has been filled with messages from people sharing their stories about those they know and love who’ve been sucked into conspiracy theories. With the help of social psychologist Karen Douglas, Marianna explores how people find themselves in Conspiracyland, why they stay, and how some managed to escape.

Host: Marianna Spring
Producers: Philip Marzouk, Olivia Lace-Evans
Producer for BBC Radio 4 podcasts: Nathan Jones
Technical Producer: Neva Missirian 
Senior news editor: Sam Bonham
Commissioner: Rhian Roberts

If you’ve been impacted by any of the issues that have come up in this podcast, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/actionline. 

And please get in touch with Marianna by emailing at: mariannainconspiracyland@bbc.co.uk.

Marianna in Conspiracyland 1: 9. People Like Us

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