Category Archives: Social Media

If You Feel Overwhelmed By The News, You May Be Experiencing This

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It’s no understatement to say the past decade and particularly past five years have been rough. A global pandemic in which 7 million people died worldwide, the cost of living crisis, a terrifying rise in far-right politics and a devastating genocide against Palestinian people just to name a few.

Is it any wonder that according to leading mental health charity Mind, around 1 in 3 adults say that their mental health has declined compared to pre-pandemic levels?

Now, researchers from the Boston University have warned that this culmination of devastating news could soon result in a type of trauma that was previously unnamed.

The researchers warn that many of us will be experiencing “vicarious trauma”: distress from secondhand exposure to traumatic events through news, our screens, or from comforting those traumatised by these events.

Vicarious trauma is inevitable, according to the experts

One of the researchers, Laura Captari, a researcher and psychologist said in an interview with Futurity: “It’s not possible to bear witness to suffering, to tragedy, without it kicking up big existential questions, whether we hear about it in the news or we’re watching it on our screens.

″‘Am I safe? Who can I trust?’ What’s particularly challenging in today’s world is that we’re an increasingly polarised and fragmented society, and people engage with social media in all different ways.

“For some people, it can really strengthen their connections, but for other people, it can be pretty isolating.”

Professor Steven Sandage, a researcher and psychology professor adds: “A trauma response is a survival mechanism to turn on hypervigilance and alertness. For any of us that feel under threat and with serious trauma effects, it’s gotten stuck in place as a hypervigilant alarm response.

“We can expect that it’s going to be harder to reset that in environments where there’s lots of polarisation.”

It may affect people differently

Speaking on our exposure to violent imagery on social media, Captari says: “It’s not just about what any of us are exposed to, it’s also about our relationship to what we take in, our ability to make sense of it.

“Does it consume our minds in an obsessive way? People’s social proximity is going to impact their experience of seeing violence through social media.”

He adds that for those directly or indirectly involved, it will be more damaging to their nervous system to see these stories than those who are just spectators. He explains: “If they are part of that community [victimised by the violence] or hold an identity overlapping with the people impacted, that’s going to activate their nervous system.

“So if I identify as queer, and there’s a mass shooting at a queer club, that’s going to hit me differently than the student next to me in class who doesn’t have a queer identity.”

The experts advise using social media more mindfully

While many of us think of social media as escapism or even admit to just doomscrolling, the psychologists recommend a more mindful approach to our scrolling habits.

Captari recommends that when you’re opening social media apps, you ask yourself these questions: “What am I hoping for when I pull up social media? What needs am I trying to meet?

“Is it to connect, to zone out, to amuse myself, to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the world? How are my mind and body reacting to what I’m seeing?”

He also advises against living online as many of us do, saying, “We also need connection with people in real space and time, connection with nature, movement, for caring for our nervous system.

“We as humans can have morbid curiosity and get stuck in a state of “freeze” when something terrible happens, just watching it on repeat, trying to wrap our heads around it.”

Sandage adds: “Young adults have some of the highest rates of mental health vulnerability, and some of the lowest rates of utilisation of mental health services. This happens in the midst of an awful lot of stress on young people.

“Sometimes young people, I think, feel, ‘I need to face what’s going on in the world,’ which is a courageous commitment to not avoid what’s happening. But if it’s happening in a context of isolation, with few relationships or resources in which to metabolise all that, it’s not a good recipe.”

Take care of yourself.

Help and support:

  • Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
  • Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
  • CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
  • The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
  • Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.
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Yes, The Ice Bucket Challenge Is Back In 2025 – This Is Why

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In news that will make many of us feel old, the Ice Bucket Challenge is back, over a decade since the first iteration in 2014.

We’ll try to not think about how much has happened in the world since then…

If you weren’t familiar, the Ice Bucket Challenge started in America to raise awareness of the condition ALS, which is the most common form of Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

The challenge involved pouring a bucket of ice water over yourself, nominating your friends to do the same and making a donation to an ALS charity.

On their website, the MND Association explains: “In the UK, the Ice Bucket Challenge hit over the August Bank Holiday weekend, and it wasn’t long before a surge of donations flooded into the [MND] Association’s JustGiving page, set-up by volunteers Paula and Robert Maguire. In just a few short days, the Ice Bucket Challenge raised £7.25million, changing the course of the Association’s work for good.

Now, with TikTok heavyweights like James Charles and Haley Kalil taking part, the challenge is having a resurgence.

Why is the Ice Bucket Challenge back?

Forbes explains: “The newest ice bucket challenge was created by students at the University of South Carolina’s Mental Illness Needs Discussion club, which first posted on Instagram about the challenge on March 31 and said the effort was to raise awareness and funds for mental health causes.”

Since then, the trend has raised $245,000 for US mental health charity Active Minds and over 20,000 people have used the tag #icebucketchallenge on TikTok.

The trend has come under some criticism from ALS advocates with Brooke Eby, an ALS advocate and sufferer stating that she is “fuming” watching “people steal the ALS ice bucket challenge for a different cause when ALS still doesn’t have a cure.”

However, the ALS Association posted on Instagram supporting the new take on the challenge saying: “The Ice Bucket Challenge is back! Mental health impacts everyone, including people affected by ALS.”

What are the symptoms of ALS?

The Motor Neurone Disease Association share that these are common early signs of the condition saying, “MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord”:

  • Muscle twitching
  • Tingling or pins and needles
  • Fatigue or extreme tirewdness
  • Tripping and one or both legs getting thinner
  • Dropping things due to weak or stiff hands
  • Slurred or faint speech
  • Swallowing difficulties
  • Breathing problems
  • Emotional outbursts
  • Changes to thinking and behaviour

The charity also adds that if you’re worried you may have the condition, you should speak to your GP.

MND Association provides support to people living with MND, carers, family members, health and social care professionals and anybody else affected by the condition.

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Harry And Meghan Call For ‘Urgent’ Protections For Kids On Social Media

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined families in mourning in New York City on Wednesday evening as they unveiled a powerful memorial that calls for urgent reform of social media.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a private vigil for a temporary installation called “The Lost Screen Memorial,” which features 50 smartphone lock screens. Each lock screen is in a lightbox displaying the image of a child whose life ended too soon as a result of social media.

The parents of the children featured in the installation are all part of Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network and its No Child Lost to Social Media campaign. Parents submitted these “deeply personal images” of their children “to call attention to the urgent need for safer online spaces,” according to a statement from Archewell.

At the memorial, the affected parents gathered to view the installation and meet with other parents, as well as the duke and duchess, who spent nearly two hours connecting with each person at the event.

“It is a universal truth that our children are in harm’s way by what’s happening online,” Meghan said at the event. “No matter how polarised the world is or what people may or may not agree on, one thing that we can all agree on is that our children should be safe.”

Prince Harry got visibly emotional while talking about the harrowing stories he’s heard from parents over the last several years about their children who lost their lives due to cyberbullying or other dangers on social media.

“The easiest thing to say is to keep your kids away from social media,” Harry told HuffPost at the event. “The sad reality is that the kids that aren’t on social media normally get bullied at school because they can’t be part of the same conversations as everybody else.”

“Life is better off of social media,” Harry continued. “I say that as a parent, and I say that as someone who’s spoken to many of the kids here tonight who are not on social media because they’ve lost a brother or a sister to social media. But clearly, enough is not enough. Enough is not being done.”

During the emotional unveiling of the installation, many people wept when they first saw their child’s photo. Families were able to place flowers in front of their child’s lightbox, and some parents described the overwhelming feeling of seeing their child on the screen. As the evening progressed and the sun set, the photos became even brighter, illuminating the entire space, which overlooked the city.

“That moment of coming around the corner and seeing it was a touch overwhelming, and that’s probably where I cried the most,” Amy Neville, who lost a son named Alexander, told HuffPost on Wednesday.

“But then going to my son’s lightbox, he’s cremated in his bedroom and so we don’t have a place to go,” she continued. “And so, that feeling came over me when I got over there – I’m like, ‘Oh wow, this is kind of like visiting the gravesite’ … and so that was a feeling I didn’t anticipate.”

Joanna Bogard, who lost her son Mason, said that “Any time you lose someone, a child, someone you love dearly — just having something tactile, something to look at, something to touch, something to say they were here and they were so important, it’s just such a gift. And this is such a gift.”

In addition to the lightboxes, parents were able to record their memories of their child in a digital version of the memorial.

“They were remembered for who they were, and not so much how they passed,” Bogard said. “And this gave us a chance to connect as a community of grieving parents – to talk about our kids in a way we don’t typically talk about them.”

“So many of us [parents] advocate through education, state legislation, federal legislation. We’re on Capitol Hill; we’re in the state lobby offices. We’re just doing so much. And we’re telling how they passed, but it’s not very often that we get to say, this is my child,” Bogard continued.

Bogard said Mason loved to fish and hike, and that he was adventurous.

“He loved so much about the world, and he was loved and he loved,” she said. “And this gives us that chance to exhale and focus on who Mason was and who our kids were, and then it gives us a chance to say thank you for giving us this opportunity to connect.”

One parent, Tammy Rodriguez, said that her daughter Selena “always loved the city.”

And now, with the exhibit, “she’s right in the middle, and she’s overlooking it.”

“Just seeing that really meant a lot to us,” said Rodriguez, who attended the memorial with her daughter Destiny.

“It’s been an absolute honour and pleasure just to be able to be here and exist with everyone and just kind of feel that mutual love and kind of grieve as well,” she added.

Both Tammy and Destiny Rodriguez spent time with Harry and Meghan, whom they described as “so down to earth” and “so sweet.”

Harry and Meghan have made the dangers of social media, especially as it concerns children, one of their core initiatives.

HuffPost previously reported on a panel on behalf of the Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit in New York City in October 2023, where parents of children who died by suicide spoke about their experiences.

The parents told audience members about how certain social media algorithms led their children down dangerous digital rabbit holes, and how tech companies and platforms outpaced parents who would consider themselves well-versed in social media.

Meghan said she found it “just devastating” to hear from the parents Archewell worked with, and said it was “impossible to not be in tears” when they shared their stories.

The Duchess of Sussex has spoken out about being the victim of cyberbullying on a global scale. In March 2021, she told Oprah Winfrey she was suicidal while living in the United Kingdom because she felt so isolated by royal life.

“I’m told that in 2019, I was the most trolled person in the entire world – male or female,” Meghan said during a joint interview with Harry on the “Teenager Therapy” podcast in 2020.

“Eight months of that, I wasn’t even visible. I was on maternity leave with a baby,” the royal shared. “But what was able to be manufactured and churned out – it’s almost unsurvivable.”

“That’s so big you can’t even think of what that feels like,” the royal added.

Help and support:

  • Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
  • Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
  • CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
  • The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
  • Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.
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3 Influencers Explain Why They Still Use Beauty Filters, Even After Knowing Their Dangers

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When the “Bold Glamour” filter on TikTok was created in early 2023, people were shocked by how seamless it looked, and that it wasn’t glitching like other face-altering filters. Despite everyone admiring its technological improvement, it led to an uproar online and offline, with celebrities like Katherine Heigl showing the shocking difference it made.

It’s been widely reported that filters on social media can create a disconnect between online and real life and lower one’s self-esteem. The issue doesn’t just affect teens — it can negatively affect anyone. The curation of social media leads many people to use filters in order to receive positive feedback, which then reinforces the belief that we should be relying on them, explained Natalie Buchwald, a therapist and founder of Manhattan Mental Health Counseling.

You can, of course, still use filters and have a healthy self-image, but experts advise considering the reasons you use filters in the first place.

“While occasional use of filters doesn’t inherently indicate low self-esteem, dependence on them can be problematic,” Buchwald said. “Maintaining a healthy self-image involves recognizing one’s intrinsic worth without relying on digital enhancements.”

Long-term exposure to a filtered image of yourself may create issues in your self-image, even leading to seeking cosmetic surgery to achieve that image of yourself. “Often called ‘Snapchat dysmorphia,’ it describes individuals seeking cosmetic surgery to replicate their filtered selfies. This can manifest in body insecurity and dysmorphia,” Buchwald added.

HuffPost spoke to three influencers who regularly use beauty filters to understand why and how these filters affect their self-esteem.

“I’m super open about beauty standards, filters and treatments on my page. I use beauty filters pretty often! Most of the time, while filming on TikTok I’m using one because of ease, and sometimes TikTok automatically puts them on your face.

“I prefer filters that don’t make me look like a completely different person. I try to remind myself that skin texture, blemishes, redness, undereye bags are all normal. Most things you see online are very unrealistic and you shouldn’t compare yourself to them.

“Filters did change how I saw myself. Social media is so unrealistic, so when you look at yourself in a mirror and you don’t have a smooth foundation filter on, it will look different. A few years back when the filters were heavier, I would wear a lot more makeup in real life to really smooth out my skin or contour my face, and I also ended up getting lip filler and Botox done because I was comparing myself to a filter that made my lips bigger or my skin smooth. Seeing myself with plumper lips or no wrinkles has influenced the treatments I’ve done. I still get minimal lip filler to this day. I’ve always been super transparent about getting procedures done online, even back then. Now I’m pretty confident in myself with or without makeup.

“Looking at the ‘perfect’ version of yourself can make you a bit critical of your natural features. Generally, being a content creator can make you critical about yourself and your appearance; with or without filters, I’m staring at my face all day long editing videos. This often will make you notice things most people probably don’t see.

“If social media removed beauty filters, it wouldn’t affect my content at all! I’m super open on my page, with and without filters, and always will be. I think I might put a little bit of makeup on before I film some of my content to make myself more presentable than I do now, but I would be totally fine with that. I think it would make social media a healthier space for everyone, including myself.”

“I use beauty filters occasionally when filming my TikTok videos, usually ones that enhance smoothness subtly without drastically changing my features. Without a filter, I feel just as confident. For me, it’s less about changing how I look and more about maintaining a particular style, visually.

“I wouldn’t say I’m addicted to using filters. They don’t necessarily make me criticize myself, but more aware of how different enhancements can affect one’s perception. I don’t rely on them to define my self-image.

“Filters can certainly influence beauty standards and make people more self-critical. I think that’s all a byproduct of being on social media. Unless people are openly mentioning they are using filters, it’s hard to tell. As consumers, we may assume these creators are like this in real life, too.

“Personally, using filters hasn’t influenced me to get cosmetic treatments, but I can see how constant exposure to ‘perfect’ images can create unrealistic expectations, which is why I make it known to my audience when I use beauty filters, rather than hide the fact that I am using them. I do have lip filler, and in hindsight, I may have been influenced by the ‘perfect’ images we see on social media.”

Stella Dadini, influencer and business owner

“I use filters that smooth out the skin very often. I initially started using them out of curiosity, and now it has become a habit — I do it automatically. Honestly, I have no issue with how I look without filters. The only reason I use light filters is because I used to have acne, and it used to bother me.

“I have created content without a filter many times, and I have no problem with that, nor does it make me uncomfortable.

“I wouldn’t say filters make me critical of my natural features, just that I liked how my skin looked without blemishes and acne marks when I had acne. Many women have been influenced by filters, trying to achieve this smooth image in real life. I know from some doctor friends that people ask to look like their filtered selves [via medical intervention]. However, that has never happened to me.”

What’s the best way to navigate filters?

Of course, users aren’t necessarily to blame; the platforms have to take responsibility, noted Buchwald. “Similar to how certain posts are highlighted as #Advertisement, the social media platforms need to demand users who edit their photos to add a similar #filtered tag to avoid skewing the public perception of what is normal.”

There may be some changes soon on that front, as TikTok is said to be banning face-altering filters like “Bold Glamour” for teen use, as these can have dramatic effects on the self-esteem of impressionable young people.

“Young people and parents saw the benefit in being authentic online and recognised the positive impact of belonging and connecting online,” wrote Christine Grahn, head of public policy and government relations for TikTok in Europe, in a recent newsroom statement.

Comparing yourself to online filtered images can trigger social comparison, explained Buchwald. “This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and diminished self-worth, as one’s unfiltered reality may not match the enhanced images presented online. It’s a competition where no one can win as there’s always ‘something else you can improve,’ which can be a very toxic mentality to have about your self-image.”

There are ways to combat negative self-image created by one’s online presence. Buchwald recommends a few different ways; seeking professional advice like therapy to foster self-acceptance, mindfulness practices and spending time in nature as a way to ground yourself and distance yourself from the bubble of the online world. Finally, avoid consuming content that makes you feel bad about yourself or even limit your social media usage until these feelings don’t consume you.

Interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity and length.

Help and support:

  • Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
  • Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
  • CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
  • The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
  • Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.
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I’m An Influencer. This Is The Dark Side Of My Job I Wish More People Knew About

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It’s easy to scroll through TikTok or Instagram and see your favorite influencers sharing glamorous updates, whether that’s opening free gifts, walking red carpets or traveling.

At first glance, it looks like influencers are living their dream life ― and, in a way, they are. They have access and opportunities the general population doesn’t normally get, simply because of their follower count. But on the other hand, social media is a glorified highlight reel, and it does come with dark sides — even for people whose job is to be on social media.

According to a 2023 Morning Consult survey of 1,000 Gen Zers, 57% of them wanted to be influencers. That statistic is a clear example of how this career path is becoming more popular among young adults and the general population. But there are a few downsides you should know first.

To get the lowdown, we spoke to influencers about the dark sides of influencing they wish more people knew about. Here’s what they had to say:

Being an influencer is time consuming

Most jobs feel long and draining, whether you’re working a nine-to-five in an office or scheduled for a 12-hour shift at a clinic. When it comes to being an influencer, although the hours might not be predetermined, the time put in is still the same ― and sometimes even more.

“Being a content creator involves tons of editing, concept development and collaboration with brands,” said Savannah Vinson, a New York City-based influencer with almost 200,000 followers on TikTok. “For instance, a simple voiceover can take me six hours, not including the time spent filming or editing. It’s not always glamorous, even though people often think it is.”

Aside from creating the content itself, there’s also a lot of back and forth that goes on between brands before filming and posting take place. For example, for Vinson, time is spent coordinating visits and planning transportation to different locations in New York City and beyond to capture the content itself.

Not to mention the fact that social media makes us feel like we always have to be “on.” The same holds true for influencers ― you’re never truly unplugged from your job, making the actual working hours much longer than you think.

Social media can be fake

Aside from being time-consuming, Vinson told HuffPost that social media can be incredibly disingenuous.

“Everything looks polished, but behind the scenes, it’s all about angles, lighting and editing,” she said. “I try to show the full experience, but you can’t always trust what you see online. It’s important to follow your gut and remember that things aren’t always as perfect as they may seem.”

On social media, most people post their happiness and successes. Think about what you personally post; chances are you’re not constantly sharing about your conflict with your partner or the criticism from your boss at work. You’re also likely not uploading a photo you feel is unflattering. The reality is that there’s often a lack of vulnerability and truth about the full spectrum of your life, and that can be draining.

“I try to show the full experience, but you can’t always trust what you see online. It’s important to follow your gut and remember that things aren’t always as perfect as they may seem.”

– Savannah Vinson

Influencing can be detrimental to your mental health.

Peter Petrella, an Orlando-based influencer with 85,000 followers on TikTok, told HuffPost it can be hard to navigate strangers’ opinions and mean comments ― and that can take a toll on your overall mental health.

“Speaking online means that you’re speaking to millions. It’s safe to say that no matter what you say, there’s going to be someone that doesn’t agree or doesn’t like what you have to say ― and some people can be not so nice,” he said.

Petrella noted that he had to learn to not let the comments section discourage him and post regardless of what people think.

“Being able to stay true to your own integrity while not letting those that disagree get in your head is a learned mindset that becomes essential when you take the path of becoming an influencer,” he said.

You can’t control the algorithm — and that can affect your success

Although an influencer might have a lot of followers, that doesn’t necessarily mean every video they post is going to perform well.

“Sometimes, most random things go well, and something you thought was going to go viral does not perform as you wish,” said Karina Achaeva, a New York City-based influencer with more than 950,000 followers on TikTok. “It’s truly impossible to control the algorithm most of the time.”

This can be hard for influencers because this is the main way they get followers, but it also can be hard from a business perspective. This is because brands they work with have certain expectations when it comes to engagement (likes, comments, views and more) ― and your income can rely on that engagement. When the algorithm doesn’t surface your content, it can be challenging to meet those goals.

At the end of the day, influencing does come with a lot of perks: it can be lucrative, a way to make your own schedule and there’s obviously the potential for internet fame. But there are still some challenges, similar to any profession. Just remember that everything you see on your feed isn’t always reality.

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Question Time Guest Takes Social Media CEOs Apart For ‘Promoting Extreme Content’

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Social media CEOs were torn apart on BBC Question Time last night as a panellist slammed the platforms for “promoting extreme content”.

After 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana – who murdered three little girls in Southport in July and injured 10 others – was sentenced on Thursday, the public has started to question how the UK can prevent such horrific attacks again in the future.

Green industrialist Dale Vince said social media was a major contributing factor that needs to be addressed.

Speaking to the Question Time audience, he explained: “I think this guy was radicalised to a considerable extent by content on social media. He got his Al Qaeda from social media, he got his recipe for ricin, he watched violent videos on social media.

“One of the biggest things we can do to prevent this happening in the future is to control social media properly – we don’t do that at the moment.”

Vince then focused in on particular websites, such as X (formerly Twitter) run by Elon Musk, as well as Facebook and Instagram, run by Mark Zuckerberg.

He said: “The platforms run by Musk and Zuckerberg for example are promoting extreme content, extreme views, Musk is trying to interfere in our democracy now through his platform X.”

Musk has repeatedly tried to influence government policy through his posts on X and has even come to blows with PM Keir Starmer over it.

Vince added: “Of course, [Rudakbana] got his murder weapon from Jeff Bezos [CEO of Amazon].”

The Southport killer ordered the knife he used in his attack on the shopping site when he was 17, even though it is illegal to sell to under-18s.

Vince continued: “We’ve got the three tech giants of the world, and we don’t control social media well enough. We talked earlier about how we’ve got to keep pace with AI, we haven’t kept social media.

“It’s a supernatural force, it’s outside the boundaries of our nation but it has a really big impact, and after the event – the terrible event – Musk stoked the riots with content on social media. We shouldn’t allow that.

“He in effect aided and abetted the crimes that took place. That’s where we should go.”

Vince later said that the best way to control the social media giants was to “make them responsible for their content”.

Musk, now US president Donald Trump’s informal adviser, used X to promote the right-wing conspiracy theory known as “two-tier policing” at the time of the riots which occurred after the Southport attack.

He also claimed “civil war is inevitable” over the thuggery which erupted in the summer.

The X boss – who is also the richest person in the world – joined other tech magnates such as Zuckeberg and Bezos at Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

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“One of the biggest things we can do to prevent this happening in the future is to control social media properly”

Entrepreneur Dale Vince says tech giants are “promoting extreme content” and had a role in influencing the Southport attacker and the following riots#bbcqt pic.twitter.com/k4qivB6wZW

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) January 23, 2025

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“One of the biggest things we can do to prevent this happening in the future is to control social media properly”

Entrepreneur Dale Vince says tech giants are “promoting extreme content” and had a role in influencing the Southport attacker and the following riots#bbcqt pic.twitter.com/k4qivB6wZW

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) January 23, 2025

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