AntiSocial

A clip from the European Central Bank, talking about progress towards an electronic version of the euro, has sparked concern on social media. Some suggest new central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) like this - including a digital pound under consideration in the UK - are designed to track our spending, or even restrict it. And there are fears it could lead to the elimination of cash altogether. B...

Where does the phrase come from, and do younger generations have different expectations of the workplace? Dr Kirsteen Grant, Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at Edinburgh Napier University explains.

A photo that appeared to show an NHS healthcare worker wearing a Palestine badge caused a heated debate on social media. Some say during the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestine flag becomes a political symbol and therefore breaches the principal that NHS staff should appear to be impartial. Others point to a double standard and question why the poppy can be worn by state secto...

Professor Cath Mercer from University College London on asking people about how many opposite-sex sexual partners they’ve had and what the average numbers are for British people.

Does your sexual history matter, and is it relevant whether you’re a man or a woman? A viral tweet criticised a woman for having a high 'body count' - a term used to describe how many sexual partners a person has had. It’s a popular topic on platforms like TikTok, where some people boast about their big numbers, but others are critical of people with high body counts. Claims that women are less at...

Professor Bryan Cheyette, Reading University, on the origins of ‘JewFace’ and the history of the portrayal of Jewish characters.

The debate about whether Jewish characters should always be played Jewish actors. The actor Bradley Cooper is playing Leonard Bernstein, the conductor and composer of many works, including West Side Story. Bradley Cooper, who isn’t Jewish, wears a prosthetic nose as part of his portrayal. The Bernstein family were consulted on the film and say they’re ‘perfectly fine’ with it. But it’s prompted a...

Monica Moreno-Figueroa, Professor in Sociology at the University of Cambridge on the history of the word and its meaning.

The argument about prejudice, power, and the disputed idea of “reverse racism”. A design guide from the Mayor of London’s office included a photo of a white family along with the caption “Doesn’t represent real Londoners”. A spokesman for Mayor Sadiq Khan said the text was “added by a staff member in error”, but some on social media said it showed City Hall was racist against white people. What wa...

BBC Climate Disinformation Reporter Marco Silva explains the link between plans for 15-minute cities and conspiracy theories about the World Economic Forum.

Josh Adair, Professor of English at Murray State University, explains what is meant by the term ‘queering’ and gives the background to how museums and historians can ‘queer history’. He explains they reinterpret their collections to include LGBT stories or histories of people who don’t fit the typical gender roles of the time.

The debate sparked by reviewing historic collections through a queer or LGBT lens. A “queering the collection” blogpost from the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth was criticised for making what some saw as tenuous links between historic objects from the ship and the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. Supporters of “queering” museums and galleries say it’s needed to r...

Ann John, professor of public health at Swansea University, digs into the stats on mental illness. What do they show? And how reliable are they?

Is better awareness of mental illness a good thing - or encouraging people out of work? A newspaper columnist questioned whether a rise in people out of work because of bad mental health might include some who could have “soldiered on”? It reignited a discussion online about the benefits of work and the importance of emotional wellbeing. On one side are those who think a better understanding of me...

A recent history of companies getting involved in social and political issues. Adam Fleming talks to Daniel Korschun, Associate Professor of marketing at Drexel University, USA.

Should companies weigh-in on sensitive social issues? After a Costa Coffee van featured artwork of a trans man with mastectomy scars, there have been calls to boycott the chain on social media. And there’s been controversy over banks rejecting customers because of their political views. Are businesses trying to make the world better or just more money? And is it the place of companies to fight wha...

Where does the term “patriarchy” come from and how has it been used through history? Adam speaks to Lucy Delap, professor in modern British and gender history at the University of Cambridge.

What is 'the patriarchy' and does it still exist in the UK today? The Barbie movie’s portrayal of the patriarchy and a world in which men have all the positions of power has triggered debate on social media around whether the UK is a patriarchal society. According to Barbie's friend Ken, patriarchy is when “men on horses run everything”. According to history, Marxist scholars first described the p...

Abba fans were asked not to wear Afro wigs over claims they are 'culturally insensitive'. It led to a debate online about cultural appropriation. What counts as cultural appropriation and why? How can people appreciate things from other cultures without being accused of appropriating?

A speech by Andrew Bridgen MP about Covid vaccines was taken down from YouTube after accusations it contained misinformation. It’s led to a debate about where freedom of speech ends and misinformation begins. What counts as misinformation? And who decides? Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Lucy Proctor, Phoebe Keane and Ellie House. Editor: Emma Rippon

After sex education was made compulsory in England in 2019, many schools started bringing in external companies to teach the subject. But with no formal regulation, a vast range of lessons are being offered and some providers refuse to let parents know what's being taught. It's led to some misinformation spreading online and a debate about whether some things are too explicit to learn at school. A...

The cover of a Quran was torn in a school in Wakefield, Yorkshire and four students were suspended. The next day, police were called after the boy involved in the incident received death threats. It lead to debate online about whether our laws should protect religious people from offence, or should uphold free speech. We'll get to the bottom of what went on and explore how you balance respect for...

The word 'fat' has been removed from a new range of Roald Dahl books. It's a sign our conversation about obesity and body image has become increasingly sensitive. Many body positivity activists have reclaimed the word 'fat' while promoting more diversity in the body shapes and sizes we see in our media. But some accuse the movement of denying the health risks associated with being overweight. Is i...

Thousands of asylum seekers are currently housed in hotels around the UK as they wait for their claims to be processed. The government has a huge backlog and are spending millions of pounds a day on the accommodation. Local residents have started to mount protests near the hotels, prompting claims from commentators and counter-protestors that they are 'far right'. What does that term mean? Are the...

How talk of low traffic neighbourhoods and traffic filters became a heated debate about freedom. When Oxfordshire county council announced plans to implement six traffic filters across the city, it caused such controversy that even people in America were posting on social media about the restrictions they might impose. The council said they received death threats due to the misinformation swirling...