In this bonus episode, the Americast team gets together for an election inquest to examine what went right and wrong. Is Joe Biden to blame for Harris’ loss? Or did something else cause the VP to underperform with the voters she needed to win?

Was Trump’s straight-forward messaging a winning strategy? Or has there been a fundamental shift among American voters that goes beyond politics?

In Why Do You Hate Me? USA, BBC disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring is investigating how what’s happening online can shape the 2024 presidential election.

Few topics have caused as much division online as the deepening war in the Middle East. In this episode, Marianna is in New York investigating the experiences of students targeted on social media. They have been affected by doxxing – where their personal information is shared online triggering racist and misogynistic hate – by people wanting to make a wider political argument. The abuse that they have received has impacted each of their views in different but significant ways and potentially influenced their vote in the US presidential election. Marianna tracks down some of their trolls and confronts one of them.

Host: Marianna Spring

A headteacher at a school in small American suburb of Baltimore was a prominent member of the local community. But many in the neighbourhood turned on Principal Eric Eiswert, after an audio clip emerged of him appearing to make racist and antisemitic remarks.

What are the real-world consequences of the belief that almost anything and everything can be staged or rigged – from assassination attempts to elections?

Meet Camille and ‘Wild Mother’. Both women love nature, animals, and the outdoors. Both women also believe the assassination attempts on Donald Trump were staged – but have very different political views. Why do people believe the things they do? And what role do social media sites – and their algorithms – play?

For the second series of BBC Radio 4’s Why Do You Hate Me, disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring heads to the USA. She investigates the social media backdrop to the presidential election, interrogating different online phenomena and cases of hate – looking at how they could potentially influence the way people vote.

Marianna travels from Colorado to Baltimore and New York, tracking down both those harmed and causing harm on social media. She investigates everything from extreme hate targeting officials and students, to online fandoms, deepfakes and corrosive conspiracy theories.

Over five episodes, she uncovers why people behave the way they do on social media during a heated presidential race. Each episode exposes the real-world consequences of what happens in this online world and its potential impact on society and democracy.

This is the new home of Marianna Spring's social media and disinformation investigations for BBC Radio 4. Listen back to Death by Conspiracy, War on Truth, Disaster Trolls, Conspiracyland and Why Do You Hate Me? Plus, hear the new series, Why Do You Hate Me? USA, coming soon.

Marianna investigates online abuse targeting Eni Aluko and tracks down one of her trolls.

In this series, Why Do You Hate Me?, Marianna Spring delves into her inbox to investigate extraordinary cases of online hate like this one. She meets the people at the heart of the conflicts, to see if understanding – even forgiveness is possible.

In this episode, she speaks to former footballer Eni Aluko and investigates the wave of online abuse directed at her. Marianna tracks down one of the people behind the abusive messages to understand why they do it.

If you have been affected by some of the issues raised in this programme, please visit bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Host: Marianna Spring

The Premier League has told the BBC it’s fighting a rise in social media threats against both its players and their families, with a team dedicated to hunting down online trolls. The BBC’s Disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring goes inside the team for the first time, talks to striker Neal Maupay about social media abuse - and tracks down the man they helped convict for threatening him.

In this series, Why Do You Hate Me?, Marianna delves into her inbox to investigate extraordinary cases of online hate like this one. She meets the people at the heart of the conflicts, and in some cases brings them together, to see if understanding – even forgiveness – is ever possible.

Subscribe to BBC Sounds to hear the episodes first. And watch the episodes on BBC iPlayer too.

If you have been affected by some of the issues raised in this programme, please visit bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Host: Marianna Spring