China’s Rush For Divorce
Happy couples in Shanghai have been rushing to divorce because of rumours of rules change that would make it more expensive for them to buy property. Our second story looks at the first anniversary of...
View ArticleNATO’s Claims of Russian ‘Misinformation’
A Russian-funded online new agency has an office in Scotland. We look into allegations of ‘misinformation’ . Is it another just another perspective on news or is an example of what some call ‘Russia’s...
View ArticleAntifascists v Alt.Right
The Alt.Right in the US is locked in a fierce ideological battle with Antifa - a group of anti-fascists. We investigate online dirty tricks by both sides. And debunking myths in India. How the country...
View ArticleNigeria’s Secret Transgender Groups
After comments by writer and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche divided opinion, we speak to members of some of Nigeria’s secret gay and transgender on groups who rely on each other on social media for...
View ArticleWho Are Antifa?
This year has seen a sharp rise in the number of confrontations in America between far right white supremacists and a group known as antifa – the anti fascists. But what is ‘free speech’? White...
View ArticleWho Pushed the ‘Calexit’ Hashtag?
We investigate connections between Moscow and groups that want to break up the United States. Also, the list of "sexual predator" professors that has sparked an online debate in India. And, the...
View ArticleHow Free is the Russian Web?
For years the Russian internet provided an open platform for news and discussion. Social media was an engine for vastly different content than could be seen in the news presented on the largely...
View ArticleThe Russian Blogger Running for President
For the second in our special series from Russia, we trace how opposition leader Alexei Navalny has used social media to move from writing LiveJournal blogs about corruption to trying to run for...
View ArticleYouTube’s Child Protection Problems
Part of YouTube's system for reporting sexualised comments left on children's videos has not been functioning correctly for more than a year, volunteer moderators have told Trending. Sources inside...
View ArticleWhy Did ‘Black Twitter’ Users Get Banned?
What happens when Twitter is your favourite platform but the company then suspends or terminates your account? The new Twitter rules meant one ‘black Twitter’ user was banned – along with many of his...
View ArticleHow to Spot a Bot
How do you detect a Twitter bot? Ash Bhat and Rohan Padte are students in the United States. They’ve invented an online tool aimed at stopping the spread of political propaganda on Twitter. Also, how a...
View ArticleWhat is ‘Milkshake Duck’?
"Milkshake Duck" is internet slang for an ordinary person who is briefly cheered, but then swiftly turned upon. We explain why the family of an 11-year-old boy is the latest example of the phenomenon....
View Article#MeToo: The Story So Far
We look back at one of 2017’s most widely used hashtags: #MeToo. It’s toppled politicians and changed the discussion on the roles and relations of men and women around the world. But how did the trend...
View ArticleYouTube and Child Safety
We reveal what happened after our investigation on YouTube which revealed the extent of predators on the site. What changes have YouTube made and how did the report affect advertising on the site - and...
View ArticleDigital Life after Life
Social media has become an integral part of modern life for most of us - but what if you’d been in jail for the last 30 years? Many recently released so-called juvenile lifers in the US now find...
View ArticleThe History of ‘Fake News’ (Part 1)
The term “fake news” has been impossible to escape over the past year. It started with teenagers in Macedonia pumping out posts to make cash on Facebook during the 2016 US presidential election But it...
View ArticleThe History of ‘Fake News’ (Part 2)
President Donald Trump recently handed out his “fake news” awards - they went to mainstream organisations who messed up and pundits whose predictions were off, with a special prize for people reporting...
View ArticleWhy Conspiracy Theories Take Off Online
Some conspiracy theories spread like wildfire online, despite the truth really being out there (and easily searchable). What makes people continue to share conspiracies? And, after a video showing...
View ArticleThe Far Right and Sweden
This week we’re asking one question: Why is the far right so obsessed with Sweden? It has a population of only around 10 million people and is known for having some of the world’s most progressive...
View ArticleThe Rise of Extreme Pranking
Why has there been a disturbing rise in internet pranks that simulate real life attacks? We have an exclusive interview with YouTuber Arya Mosallah, who had his channel terminated after some of his...
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