May 02, 2020 What happens after you go viral?
Two stories about viral stories that kicked off deep debate about social issues. What happened when social media moved on?
Randa Jarrar, a university professor, tweeted a provocative – and many would say deeply offensive – message after the death of former US First Lady Barbara Bush. It went viral and hit a nerve in a country riveted by debates over free speech and its limits, especially on college campuses.
And you may remember the story of the jogger who was caught on video throwing a homeless man’s possessions into a lake in Oakland, California. The incident eventually led to criminal charges for the jogger, and also sparked an outpouring of sympathy for the homeless man. But what happened next – yes, you guessed it – might surprise you.
Presenter: Mike Wendling
Reporter: Chris Bell
(Photo Caption: Photo illustration featuring Randa Jarrar (centre) / Photo Credit: Getty Images)
26 min
April 18, 2020 How scammers are exploiting coronavirus fears
Where some see a crisis, others see an opportunity… For the past few weeks, hackers and scammers around the world have been busy using the confusion and anxiety created by coronavirus as cover for dangerous and illegal activities.
From phishing emails to bogus cures and treatments, their scams have taken a number of different forms.
BBC Trending turns the spotlight on the darkest corners of the web and analyses some of the scams and hacks that have emerged since the coronavirus outbreak began.
Presenter: Marco Silva
(Photo: illustration of a magnifying glass hovering over a laptop that has received malicious content/Credits: BBC)
26 min
April 11, 2020 How coronavirus is changing online dating
It seems like everything’s being changed by coronavirus – and love is no exception. Dating apps are often a first point of call when people want to meet someone new, but the real-world meetups that used to spring from online conversations are now impossible in many areas under lockdown.
So how are people using tech to meet new partners during this global pandemic? We talk to people in Iran, India and Italy to find out how love is operating in lockdown.
Will the virus result in a long-lasting shift in attitudes towards dating – and what do people plan to do first once the restrictions are over?
Presenter: Reha Kansara
Photo: Illustration of a woman wearing a mask on a phone
Photo credit: Getty Images
29 min
April 04, 2020 How to stop viral misinformation
We’re in the middle of an “infodemic” – that’s the slightly clunky word the World Health Organisation has used to describe the deluge of information about coronavirus.
While some of it is accurate, the facts swim in a vast sea of more dubious content – misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, unproven cures and bad health advice.
So what can we all do to stop the spread of misinformation to our friends, family and contacts on social media? We’ve talked to the experts and have collected seven key tips:
1. Stop and think
2. Check your source
3. Ask yourself, could it be a fake?
4. If you’re unsure whether it’s true … don’t share.
5. Check each fact, individually.
6. Beware emotional posts.
7. Think about biases
Think of it as the digital equivalent of washing your hands.
19 min
March 28, 2020 How bad coronavirus info goes viral
There's a huge amount of misleading information circulating online about coronavirus - bad advice, conspiracy theories, dodgy health tips and more.
This week Trending delves into one specific viral post. It's a list of supposed facts about the virus and what you can do to protect yourself. Some of the tips are true, some are false but relatively harmless, and some are potentially dangerous.
The list was first put on Facebook in early February and has since been dubbed the "uncle with master's" degree post, because of the alleged source of the information.
It hopped from Singapore to India to England and has been sent to us by listeners all around the world who are rightfully suspicious of its contents. Along the way it mutated - it has incorporated new and more dangerous false information, and has been translated into at least half a dozen languages.
So who's behind the post and how did it spread? We get to the bottom of this mystery. And we give some crucial pointers about how you can avoid spreading bad information.
Presenter: Mike Wendling
Reporter: Marianna Spring
With reporting by: Olga Robinson, BBC Monitoring
Photo: Photo illustration of social network logos and coronavirus
Photo credit: BBC
20 min
March 21, 2020 The fight against Poland’s ‘LGBT free zones’
New laws are being passed across Poland taking aim at the LGBT community. They’ve been called “LGBT free zones” as a shorthand. While they don’t necessarily mean that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are being thrown into prison, they are having a chilling effect on the community.
The laws have contributed to a more general climate of conflict and fear. In 2019, violence broke out at several equality marches after far-right groups held counter demonstrations.
After one such clash, LGBT activists fought back with a hashtag campaign - which led to more protests on the streets.
We meet the activists who are rallying support and the counter demonstrators who organise against them. And we find out whether young LGBT people in Poland are planning to leave the country – or stay put.
Presenter: Mike Wendling
Reporter: Ben Hunte
Producer: Sean Allsop
Picture caption: Anti-LGBT protesters burn a rainbow flag at a demonstration last year in Bialystok in Poland
Picture credit: BBC
20 min
March 13, 2020 What happened when a troll met his target?
Alan commutes into London where he works as a concierge. In his spare time he composes songs with political themes.
But his beliefs also fuel a much uglier hobby: leaving nasty messages online – often hateful, racist and threatening.
One of those at the receiving end of his abuse is a high-profile political activist and businesswoman. Gina Miller gets so much abuse from people like Alan that she travels everywhere with security.
At our request, they have agreed to meet. What happens next might surprise you.
Presenter: Reha Kansara
Reporter: Marianna Spring
(Photo Caption: A troll in the shadows / Photo Credit: Getty images)
25 min
March 06, 2020 Did Russia leak British secrets online?
How did a trove of confidential government documents end up on social media… And is Russia to blame?
As the UK prepared to go to the polls in December, sensitive documents outlining ongoing US-UK trade talks were published on Reddit. They made for potentially explosive reading and were rapidly seized upon by opposition politicians.
But the origin of the leak soon aroused suspicions.
When investigators looked at how the documents were spread online, they soon found striking similarities to a disinformation operation originating in Russia.
But is there any evidence that the Russian state was behind the leaks? And were the documents authentic?
We take a careful look at the clues left behind by a social media user going by the name of “Gregoratior” and uncover a shadowy network of whispers, forgeries, and social media deception.
Presenter: Mike Wendling
Reporter: Marco Silva
(Photo Caption: illustration of confidential UK government documents held in front of a Russian flag / Photo Credit: BBC)
21 min
February 28, 2020 Life after YouTube fame
Dax Flame was once YouTube royalty – his channel was among the top 20 in the early years of the site. He parlayed his social media fame into an acting and writing career. But then work dried up and he stopped making YouTube videos.
Now, Dax works in a restaurant and tries to scrape together money for rent, food and headshots. But he’s still hopeful that his career might take off again.
We follow Dax as he tries to get back on track – and we explore a mystery that has followed him around the internet for more than a decade. Are his videos “real” – or was he acting?
Presenter: Reha Kansara
Reporter: Mike Wendling
Additional production: James Stewart
(Photo: Dax Flame, who was once one of YouTube’s biggest stars)
27 min
November 30, 2019 The ‘online slave market’ aided by Silicon Valley
Women in Kuwait are being bought and sold on apps available on the most popular online platforms. Experts call it an ‘online slave market’ - supported by Silicon Valley companies.
BBC News Arabic has gone undercover to expose the users who buy and sell domestic workers.
The traffickers repeatedly break Kuwaiti law - using racist language as part of their sales pitch, confiscating their domestic worker’s passports, withholding their salaries and making the women work excessive hours.
Our investigation found that despite the human rights violations, the apps were still available on major platforms. Since news of the scandal broke, has anything changed?
Presenter: Jonathan Griffin
Reporter: Jess Kelly
Picture: Credit: BBC
19 min

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