What happens when tragedy makes you a target? Why would anybody accuse terrorism survivors of being liars and "crisis actors"?
The BBC's disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring investigates how people caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing and other UK terror attacks, are targeted with extreme conspiracy theories, online abuse and threats. Some are even hunted down offline. It's a phenomenon we might usually associate with the US, and the billion dollar damages ruling against Alex Jones for claiming the Sandy Hook school shootings were faked. But Marianna uncovers shocking evidence that British trolls are also blighting the lives of people right here in the UK, who now want answers and justice.
What happens when tragedy makes you a target? Why would anybody accuse terrorism survivors of being liars and "crisis actors"?
The BBC's disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring investigates how people caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing and other UK terror attacks, are targeted with extreme conspiracy theories, online abuse and threats. Some are even hunted down offline. It's a phenomenon we might usually associate with the US, and the billion dollar damages ruling against Alex Jones for claiming the Sandy Hook school shootings were faked. But Marianna uncovers shocking evidence that British trolls are also blighting the lives of people right here in the UK, who now want answers and justice.
This podcast series has moved, but you can now find all of my Radio 4 investigative podcasts in the Marianna In Conspiracyland feed.
For all of my investigations, including Why Do You Hate Me?, Disaster Trolls, War on Truth and Death by Conspiracy?, just search for Marianna In Conspiracyland on BBC Sounds.