Top Comment

With the advent of OnlyFans, pornographic content has become a fixture of mainstream social media. But the influence of the adult entertainment industry on internet culture arguably began decades ago. On this episode, Matt and Marianna are joined by journalist Patricia Nilsson who has reported extensively on the secretive personalities who control 'Big Porn' and the business model behind it. We discuss the revolutionary data tracking practices first implemented by so-called tube sites to monetise attention, the regulatory trade-off between safety and privacy, and why anonymity online may be leading to more extreme pornography fuelled by our most primal instincts.

Plus - the feline answer to Pokémon Go.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The assistant producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Robin Schroder. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Patricia's new book, Guilty Pleasure: The Pornification of the Internet, the Economy, and Everything Else, is out now: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462785/guilty-pleasure-by-nilsson-patricia/9780241711293

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 episode, Marianna and Matt examine how various platforms' responses to so-called trauma porn have evolved since an initial tightening of restrictions following the livestreamed Christchurch shootings in 2019.

Also this week, Meta has been forced to explain the deactivation of an activist Instagram account by pointing the finger at its auto-moderation systems. The company was responding to anger from No Kings protest organisers, who cited their official profile going dark as evidence of censorship and political interference. We dissect Meta's defence, and consider the broader implications of AI-led moderation becoming more widespread.

Plus - is France actually fake?

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The assistant producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 users to 'reskin' video content to make anyone say or do literally anything they like. They discuss the resulting shift from realism to absurdism online, the existential threat to any type of IP ownership, and why independent creators inevitably suffer the most.

Also this week, after Ukraine hit several Yandex data centres inside Russia, viral posts began circulating suggesting there had been a noticeable reduction in social media activity by Russian bots. This narrative was fuelled by multiple high-profile accounts, and even echoed by President Zelensky - only it wasn't true. After experts debunked the claims, Top Comment dissects why this 'misinfo on misinfo' was able to flourish, from circumstantial evidence to Bluesky echo-chambers.

Plus - Kelly Clarkson is in hot water after leaving a bad review, and the YouTube prankster who was tricked into an online gag order.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The assistant producer is Sophie Millward. The social producer was Richard Kenny. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 to be the primary catalyst for much of the legislation and litigation currently targeting social media giants, Frances Haugen's revelations have nonetheless been followed by an apparent acceleration by those same companies in pursuit of maximum engagement. On this episode, Frances talks about tech accountability in the age of AI, the increasingly punitive measures being taken against others who decide to speak out, and what she really thinks of Mark Zuckerberg. Meta has consistently disputed Frances Haugen's characterisation of its policy, culture and safety procedures.

Plus - fresh from attending the press screening, Matt and Marianna give their thoughts on the film.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The assistant producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producers were Ben Andrews and Dafydd Evans. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 "free" sexual encounter has seen anger online directed not only towards those men accused of being involved, but others who apparently failed to step in. As a criminal investigation is reopened, Marianna and Matt explain how this case has taken over social media, from scathing critiques of campus culture and opaque accountability measures, to doxxing, misidentification and censorship. The university's leadership has denied its response was inadequate.

Also this week, we discuss arguably the most viral story of the year - the fallout at a covid-conscious lesbian bar in western Massachusetts. After the struggling Last Ditch decided to suspend their mask mandate on Saturday nights, they were met with a torrent of abuse calling them ableist and even eugenicist. Top Comment takes you through the chaotic conversations which followed, and we consider whether AOC spoke too soon when she famously closed the book on Woke 1.0 identity politics.

Plus - what RAF Fairford tells us about neighbourhood WhatsApp groups, and how Vini Jr became the latest celeb to find himself at the centre of a body-double conspiracy.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The assistant producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 interview went viral, and ever since the embattled son of former president Joe Biden has seen his online reputation soar. On this episode, Matt and Marianna track Biden Jr's journey from ridicule to redemption, and ask whether he has fumbled that newly found following with a dubious crypto enterprise, an all-too-familiar fall from grace in the age of the internet.

Also this week, actor Channing Tatum has denied he is behind an Instagram 'burner' account which was critical of his ex-partners, despite being its only follower. Sleuths had discovered comments across several posts which appeared to support him while calling out Jenna Dewan, Zoe Kravitz and others. We discuss the broader phenomenon of anonymous celeb-run accounts, examples of identities being uncovered, and the psychology of lurking online.

Plus - Clavicular says he will fight rape charges filed in Massachusetts.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The assistant producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 closure followed new legislation in multiple countries targeting the creation of what are known as 'non-consensual illicit images'. But despite tighter on-platform regulation of chatbots (most notably X's Grok) this type of content continues to circulate via decentralised sites and private chatrooms. On this episode, Marianna describes how it felt to discover artificially 'nudified' images of herself, and considers what it tells us about the misogynistic ideology which underpins large parts of the internet.

Also this week, Matt has been looking into Afghanistan's answer to affiliate partnerships. Western influencers are being welcomed into the country by so-called 'Talibros', as they attempt to alter its international reputation. We explore how the Taliban's apparent embrace of manosphere-adjacent audiences has paved the way for blatant human rights violations against women to be portrayed as the preservation of traditional values.

Plus - AI whistleblowers, and not Sydney Sweeney.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The assistant producer is Sophie Millward. The social producer was Beth Pritchard. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

You can access the full report on deepfakes from Agora Digitale Transformation via this link: https://agoradigital.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ADT_Policy-Brief_Who-Gets-Deepfaked.pdf

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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, he has rather been immortalised as an icon of the internet, his image utterly ubiquitous in meme culture. On this episode, Marianna and Matt discuss how Kirk's life and death paved the way for an online resurrection few could have anticipated.

Plus - Tommy Robinson's latest diss track, and Sneako has been in touch!

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 watchalong student experience at Duke University. She curated hundreds of thousands of followers and even appeared on reality show Temptation Island - only, the majority of her online life appears to have been fabricated. After being outed by real graduates of the programme she claimed to attend, Murdock's profile has gone dark. On this episode, we examine her case, and the long line of predecessors who have leveraged a fake identity on social media.

Also this week, as long-time internet provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos cries foul over his deportation from the US, Matt and Marianna consider what his downfall tells us about the state of social media. A man who forged a career from controversy, they discuss why the splintered conservative community may have united in abandoning him, and how cancel culture is evolving.

Plus - Raygun is back online.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 have been streaming the trial, and aggregating clips online to advance unfounded and defamatory conspiracies in the name of activism and awareness. Matt and Marianna explain how these creators operate, and consider the broader risks connected with the growing phenomenon of TikTok trials, from Depp v Heard to Karen Read.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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, ask whether her multimillion-view debut video could have gone viral organically, and consider how platforms profit from the aspirational lottery underpinning their algorithms.

Also this week, a growing number of influencers in Bali have been panic-posting as a specialised taskforce ramps up its crackdown against those working illegally there. Matt and Marianna explain how the island paradise became a hotspot for digital nomads, and why the lifestyle they are selling isn't entirely transparent. And, we get the perspective of Alita, an Indonesian content creator who decided to leave.

Plus - Clavicular defends his latest flex from the ick allegations.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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. Capitalising on misinformation about a Spanish Supreme Court ruling, millions of posts appeared over several weeks portraying the territory as a viable path to a new life in Europe. On this episode of Top Comment we take a detailed look at the accounts sharing what we're calling 'mirage content', revealing a network of coordinated profiles spamming the algorithm. For the first time, we expose a direct link between these faceless creators and those profiting from the movement of people, uncovering an integrated business operation run through Instagram.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

In response to our reporting, Meta told the BBC: “We have a team monitoring the situation in Ceuta in real time and removing content that violates our policies - including content that offers to provide, facilitate or seek human smuggling services”.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 investigating state information warfare, a playbook she says is now being followed by influencers weaponising economic anxiety, body dysmorphia, and political disenfranchisement. We've also been given access to brand new data about the viral looksmaxxing trend, which reveals how just 216 accounts drove 14.6bn views on this type of content within the last two years. Kristina, Matt and Marianna discuss the pipeline behind these numbers, and with effective algorithmic regulation seemingly a way off, consider more ambitious methods to clamp down on the exploitative practices which mid-tier creators are using to monetise at scale.

Plus - why the streamers flocking to Epstein island are being sued, and Boy Throb's Darshan finally got a visa!

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

You can access the full report from Reset Tech and Equimundo, 'The Grift Economy: How Young Men Are Being Sold Fake Belonging and Fake Wealth Online', via this link: https://www.equimundo.org/resources/the-grift-economy

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 content like this, with the potential for devastating consequences including reputational damage and even legal repercussions.

Also this week, as national media fangirls over Andy Burnham's TikTok persona, we ask what the new prime minister is doing right online. Is social media now the ultimate test of a politician's authenticity, and could cosying up to influencers set a dangerous precedent in terms of transparency and accountability for those in positions of power.

Plus - Clavicular can't run in those little high heels, and the foxes have their say!

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 deny. On this episode, we unpack the allegations being made against the influencers, and what it could mean for those associated with them. Matt, who has reported extensively on the Tate empire, describes the social media narrative being pursued by the brothers as they attempt to paint a picture of a deep state conspiracy and undermine trust in the justice system.

Also this week, should parents be able to profit from posting content of their kids on social media? From the Rizzler to Lil Tay, shooting to internet superstardom at an early age can come with criticism and complications. Marianna has been speaking to former child youtuber turned activist and entrepreneur, Beckii Flint, about the dilemmas around consent, monetisation and exploitation in a space which remains largely unregulated. And, as a new U16 ban approaches in the UK, what happens when kidfluencers become viral on platforms they can’t use?

Plus - Jimothy the viral racoon, and another affiliate marketing scandal.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 who believe blockchain can be used to transform the fabric of society. From micronations to corporate monarchies, we outline their radical vision for the future.

Also this week, why psychologists are worried about the growing trend of ADHD self-diagnosis via social media. A study from earlier this year said 52% of ADHD-related videos on TikTok were inaccurate. Matt and Marianna discuss the real world impacts, and why this type of misinformation can attract such high levels of engagement.

Plus, Erling Haaland's 'braut summer' in Agartha.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Jonny Baker. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

You can watch Matt's full documentary, The Tech Billionaire Takeover, via this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002z1j2

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 gone from a cheap Gen Z life hack to a dedicated philosophy for many users? How is the femosphere shifting conversations around gender dynamics and heteropessimism? And what does the tradwife trend tell us about the perils of pursuing authenticity as a creator in the volatile world of social media?

This episode of Top Comment was recorded live at Crossed Wires in Sheffield. It was presented by Marianna Spring. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 misinformation.

Last June, Marianna revealed how Paloma’s brothers blamed their mother - the prominent anti-medicine conspiracy theorist Kate Shemirani - for Paloma’s decision to reject chemotherapy. She denies these allegations.

Now, we speak to Paloma's twin brother Gabriel about the aftermath of the inquest, what he wants to change to protect people like his sister, and the evolution of unregulated health advice online.

This episode of Top Comment is presented by Marianna Spring. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

To listen to the full series investigating Paloma's death, Marianna in Conspiracy Land 2, just follow the link here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002fcbh

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 their relative success feels disproportionate to their presence on the ground, but their growing prominence online is inarguable - leader Rupert Lowe has over 2m followers across X and Facebook, and Elon Musk has repeatedly backed the party. So, was this a party born out of social media, and are they rejecting traditional campaigning? Marianna has been speaking to the party's chief strategist, Charlie Downes, about their approach and similar online movements which may have inspired them.

Also this week - as the World Cup group stage approaches its climax, internet discourse surrounding the tournament is already moving at a lightning pace. From the overnight fame of Vozinha and Merlin the duck to Lawrence, Kansas falling in love with the Algerian national team, it has provided a conveyor belt of viral moments. Matt and Marianna discuss whether global events like this represent an idealist vision of the benefits social media platforms could have, and why some may see it as the ultimate 'bread and circuses' distraction.

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.

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 businesses and even betraying her own followers. On this episode, Marianna explains why BookTok is such an influential marketing demographic on TikTok, and what this controversy tells us about the fragility of influencer careers tied exclusively to a personal brand.

Also this week, a viral photo which appears to show Donald Trump meeting with a group of mysterious figures has led to a raft of theories about their identities. One of the most prominent narratives to emerge is that the men are representatives of the mythical kingdom Agartha. Matt dives deep into the lore on Agartha, and its adoption by Nazi occultists. Why has this theory seen such a resurgence among young people on TikTok, and how dangerous is the implicit ideology behind it?

Top Comment is hosted by Marianna Spring and Matt Shea. The series producer is Laurie Kalus. The social producer is Sophie Millward. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Justine Lang. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to get in touch about something that's popped up on your feed, our email address is topcomment@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.