Top Comment
BBC
103 episodes
The story behind your social media feed, from BBC correspondent Marianna Spring and investigative journalist Matt Shea.
More about the show
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.
You can also hear Marianna's previous series for the BBC in this feed, including Marianna in Conspiracyland, Why Do You Hate Me?, Disaster Trolls, Death by Conspiracy? and War on Truth.
Episodes page 1 of 3
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Are platforms promoting death on demand?
Why are we seeing more death on our feeds? From footage of an Ecuadorean priest being killed by a crucifix to the man who was attacked by a tiger on camera, snuff content appears to be making a comeback. On this…
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AI influencers are invading our feeds
From shadowboxing Parisians to chihuahuas fronting rap videos, the acceleration in generative AI capability is now impossible to miss on our feeds. On this episode, Matt and Marianna explain how new software allows…
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Frances Haugen: exposing Facebook five years on
As The Social Reckoning hits cinemas, the whistleblower who inspired the movie joins Top Comment to discuss what's changed since she leaked tens of thousands of internal Facebook documents in 2021. Considered by many…
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How the 'Cornell 7' rape case became a call to action
An alleged case of gang rape at a Cornell frat house has caused widespread outrage after new details emerged in a civil suit brought by the purported victim. Evidence including a Snapchat screenshot advertising a…
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Has Hunter Biden fumbled the bag?
After years spent sheltering from the public gaze, Hunter Biden re-entered the mainstream consciousness last summer via a surprise YouTube appearance alongside prominent alternative media figure Andrew Callaghan. The…
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Why deepfake wizards went underground
Sexualised deepfakes by commission - until administrators shut down a popular request forum earlier this year, self-styled 'wizards' were offering this service at scale via the imageboard site 4chan. The domain's…
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How Charlie Kirk achieved internet immortality
A year since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, social media users are marking what has controversially become known as the 'Kirkiversary'. Far from the enduring political legacy many predicted,…
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Angel Vic and the truth about hustle culture
It's the latest example of an influencer's digital persona disintegrating before our eyes. For several years, Angel Victoria Murdock has been portraying a life of self-made success, from real estate deals to a…
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Lindsay Clancy and the age of TikTok trials
A Massachusetts jury are deliberating in the shocking case of Lindsay Clancy, a mother who admits to killing her three young children amid suffering, her lawyers argue, extreme post-partum psychosis. Online sleuths…
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Everybody wants to be Ellie Ellis
How did a 16-year-old girl with no prior online presence manage to gain more than 700k TikTok followers within a week of her first post? On this episode, we discuss the theories behind Ellie Ellis' unlikely explosion,…
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Exposed: the faceless accounts inflaming the Ceuta crisis
After roughly 78,000 migrants made the journey from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in a matter of hours at the end of July, reporters across the world were quick to identify the role of social media.…
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A grievance syndicate is defrauding young men
The manosphere is just the tip of the iceberg - that's the premise of a new report, shared exclusively with Top Comment, about the so-called male grievance industry. Its author, Kristina Wilfore, has spent years…
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The vigilante streamers destroying reputations on Kick
From chasing pickpockets to unmasking predators, vigilantism has become one of the biggest trends on social media. On this episode Matt and Marianna discuss how the age of streaming has added a new layer of risk to…
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Andrew Tate is blaming the Matrix again
Manosphere kingpin Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested in the US over the weekend after British authorities announced dozens of new charges against the pair, including rape and sex trafficking, which they…
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Erling Haaland, crypto billionaires, and the foxes incident
You may already think crypto is overexposed online, but is what we're experiencing just the tip of the iceberg? On this episode, Matt talks about his new BBC documentary in which he meets some of the tech billionaires…
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Solo-maxxing and the femosphere (live at Crossed Wires)
Marianna is joined by guest host Rachel Connolly to journey into the lives of femcels, tradwives, and so-called loneliness influencers. As the merits of social isolation are preached on our feeds, why has solo-maxxing…
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Gabriel Shemirani on medical misinfo and rejecting Conspiracyland
One year on from the BBC's investigation into the death of 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani - and two years since it happened - this episode of Top Comment explores what the case tells us about the dangers of medical…
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Restore Britain, Merlin the duck, and FIFA's content farm
After achieving 7% of the vote in last week's Makerfield by-election, the social-led strategy of emerging right-wing party Restore Britain has come under the spotlight. Various anecdotal reports have concluded that…
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Agartha explained, and hot girls revolt on BookTok
The BookTok community has erupted after creator AllieRoseCo announced she had trademarked merchandise featuring the phrase 'Hot Girls Read'. User backlash was instantaneous, with many accusing her of attacking small…
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Belfast, Henry Nowak, and how Grok is supercharging misinfo
After a second night of rioting in Belfast, social media companies are being accused of playing a role in creating disorder. Technology secretary Liz Kendall has said an update to the Online Safety Act will be brought…
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Is Hasan Piker NSFW now? And Tung Tung's generational run
When Twitch streamer Hasan Piker was denied entry into the UK this week, it rekindled a conversation around the Home Office's approach to free speech. From Kanye West to Valentina Gomez, the list of prominent names who…
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Sleuth wars, incels in STEM, and just want Harambe back
An inquest is set to open on Friday into the deaths of three sisters whose bodies were recovered from the sea off the coast of Brighton. The case has led to rampant speculation online, particularly after it emerged…
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Why you're wrong about Palantir, and TL;DR Tolkien
The US tech giant Palantir holds contracts with some of the most influential entities in the world, from government departments and pharmaceutical companies to military contractors and banking powerhouses. Funding…
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BONUS: Taylor Lorenz says "don't blame social media"
On this bonus interview episode, Matt and Marianna are joined in the studio by leading social media journalist Taylor Lorenz. They discuss the evolution of meme culture, Clavicular's enduring virality, and why Elon…
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Decline porn (part II), VPN patriotism, and Charli XCX's finsta drop
Foreign-based social media accounts are masquerading as patriotic Brits lamenting the UK's 'decline'. These profiles, which use AI to amplify anti-immigrant rhetoric, are being viewed and shared by vast audiences who…
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Dare Market, hantavirus, and wtf is going on at JPMorgan?
Launched last year, the website Dare Market describes itself as "the platform where you can dare anyone to do almost anything for real cash bounties". On this episode, Marianna speaks to Isla Rose Perfito, the founder…
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Shooting conspiracies, breakup texts, and Dana White's cortisol spike
Following an apparent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night, dozens of high-profile conservative accounts posted almost identical reactions on X. On this episode,…
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BONUS: Live at Maida Vale Studios
For this bonus episode, Matt and Marianna are joined by producer Laurie on stage at Castfest - a live event at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios. They discuss why we're making Top Comment, the challenges of reporting on…
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Haley Beck explained, and the crypto operation hijacking the BBC
Haley Beck - the sister of influencer Noah Beck - has denied wrongdoing after police recommended she be charged over allegations she cultivated a sexual relationship with a student in Arizona. The case is receiving…
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Coachella, GRWM fakers, and Justin Bieber is chronically online
Ahead of Coachella's second weekend, Matt and Marianna are discussing how the festival often referred to as the 'Influencer Olympics' has become a microcosm of creator culture. They chat about people posting from their…
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Iran, slopaganda, and the lego-inspired creator behind it all
Lego-inspired characters depicting conflict in the Middle East. This Iranian brand of so-called slopaganda has been viewed hundreds of millions of times and it is colouring the conversation around the US and Israel's…
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Misogyny, boomers, and China just got Krissed
When newly-elected Green Party MP Hannah Spencer gave her maiden speech on International Women's Day, she was subject to a torrent of online abuse targeting her appearance, with one user on X prompting Grok to "smarten…
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Meta, YouTube, and a damning addiction verdict
After a California jury found Meta and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction case, we explain why the platforms you use may soon be unrecognisable. Plus - an exclusive interview with an expert witness…
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Whistleblowers, dolphin memes, and a million dollar toilet
How has an algorithmic arms race created an environment where controversial and incendiary content is routinely amplified on our feeds? On this episode, Marianna discusses her latest investigation, which provides a…
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Nancy Guthrie, TikTok sleuths, and Starmer's cringeposting era
Almost six weeks since the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie (the 84-year-old mother of Today show host, Savannah Guthrie) the case which has shocked America remains unsolved. It's also led to a host of online amateur…
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School wars, Dubai's crisis PR, and is Fabrizio cancelled?
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…
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Kalshi, Polymarket, and gamifying the future
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…
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Decline porn explained, and why Clavicular is misunderstood
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…
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Introducing... Top Comment
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…
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Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 6. The Inquest
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…
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Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 5. A collective immune system
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…
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Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 4. The Archaeologists
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…
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Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 3. Down the cancer conspiracy rabbit hole
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…
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Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 2. Conspiracyland at home
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…
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Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 1. The Dove and the Pigeon
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…
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Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 5. Fandom Frenzies: Who’s afraid of little old us?
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. In this episode, Marianna goes deep…
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Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 4. Doxxed and Blocked: ‘We’re distressed about war in the Middle East and now trolls are after us.'
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…
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Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 3. The Fable of the Pikesville Clip: ‘I’ve been burnt by the fire once, so I’ll think twice before posting’
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…
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Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 2. Counting The Threats: 'I just work in IT – why am I getting threats from election deniers?'
What are the real-world consequences of the belief that almost anything and everything can be staged or rigged – from assassination attempts to elections? In Why Do You Hate Me? USA, BBC disinformation and social media…
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Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 1. Wild Thoughts: 'I hate Trump, she likes him – we both think he staged assassination attempts'
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…
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