Top Comment

BBC

Discover what's behind the content flooding your feed.

Top Comment is a brand new BBC podcast which sheds light on the darkest corners of the internet. Every week, Matt and Marianna unpack a range of viral topics from controversial influencers and the clipping economy, to murky crypto operations, prediction markets, and even information warfare. Follow us inside the algorithm as we expose the inner workings of the most popular platforms, and explain how tech giants are shaping the way we see the world.

LISTEN: Listen to Top Comment every Thursday on BBC Sounds.

GET IN TOUCH: - WhatsApp: +44 330 123 9480 - Email: topcomment@bbc.co.uk - Or send us a DM!

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91 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes91

Newest first

March 27 · 29 min
Meta, YouTube, and a damning addiction verdict
The companies were found liable in a landmark California case
March 20 · 30 min
Whistleblowers, dolphin memes, and a million dollar toilet
The algorithmic arms race driving the spread of harmful content
March 13 · 30 min
Nancy Guthrie, TikTok sleuths, and Starmer's cringeposting era
Influencers have descended on the Arizona home of the missing 84-year-old
March 6 · 27 min
School wars, Dubai's crisis PR, and is Fabrizio cancelled?
How phantom trends cause real-world hysteria
February 27 · 34 min
Kalshi, Polymarket, and gamifying the future
Prediction markets have exploded online but they're inviting scrutiny.
February 20 · 31 min
Decline porn explained, and why Clavicular is misunderstood
Episode 1 of Top Comment is here.
February 19 · 1 min
Introducing... Top Comment
We talk through the stories behind your social media feed.
Oct 2, 2025 · 29 min
Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 6. The Inquest
Can coroners' courts cope with conspiracy?
Jun 23, 2025 · 24 min
Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 5. A collective immune system
Can people fight back against medical misinformation?
Jun 23, 2025 · 22 min
Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 4. The Archaeologists
Are we equipped to deal with a rising tide of misinformation?
Jun 23, 2025 · 30 min
Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 3. Down the cancer conspiracy rabbit hole
What are patients seeing on social media?
Jun 23, 2025 · 29 min
Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 2. Conspiracyland at home
Could the answer lie in the past?
Jun 23, 2025 · 32 min
Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 1. The Dove and the Pigeon
What Happened to Paloma?
Oct 20, 2024 · 28 min
Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 5. Fandom Frenzies: Who’s afraid of little old us?
How are the Swifties impacting the vote?
Oct 14, 2024 · 28 min
Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 4. Doxxed and Blocked: ‘We’re distressed about war in the Middle East and now trolls are after us.'
The social media tactic harming and further polarising people.
Oct 4, 2024 · 28 min
Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 3. The Fable of the Pikesville Clip: ‘I’ve been burnt by the fire once, so I’ll think twice before posting’
A clip that divided and convinced a community – and what it could mean for the election.
Sep 22, 2024 · 28 min
Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 2. Counting The Threats: 'I just work in IT – why am I getting threats from election deniers?'
Inside the election centre where workers face threats and abuse ahead of the 2024 vote.
Sep 22, 2024 · 28 min
Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 1. Wild Thoughts: 'I hate Trump, she likes him – we both think he staged assassination attempts'
How do two people with different politics end up believing similar conspiracy theories?
Sep 14, 2024 · 3 min
Why Do You Hate Me? USA: Introducing... Why Do You Hate Me? USA
Marianna Spring investigates the online phenomena that could influence the election.
Feb 28, 2024 · 28 min
Why Do You Hate Me?: 5. I Went Inside The World Of The Trolled And The Troll
Marianna investigates online abuse targeting Eni Aluko and tracks down one of her trolls.

Top Comment

Meta, YouTube, and a damning addiction verdict

Whistleblowers, dolphin memes, and a million dollar toilet

Nancy Guthrie, TikTok sleuths, and Starmer's cringeposting era

School wars, Dubai's crisis PR, and is Fabrizio cancelled?

Kalshi, Polymarket, and gamifying the future

Decline porn explained, and why Clavicular is misunderstood

Introducing... Top Comment

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 6. The Inquest

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 5. A collective immune system

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 4. The Archaeologists

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 3. Down the cancer conspiracy rabbit hole

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 2. Conspiracyland at home

Marianna in Conspiracyland 2: 1. The Dove and the Pigeon

Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 5. Fandom Frenzies: Who’s afraid of little old us?

Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 4. Doxxed and Blocked: ‘We’re distressed about war in the Middle East and now trolls are after us.'

Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 3. The Fable of the Pikesville Clip: ‘I’ve been burnt by the fire once, so I’ll think twice before posting’

Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 2. Counting The Threats: 'I just work in IT – why am I getting threats from election deniers?'

Why Do You Hate Me? USA: 1. Wild Thoughts: 'I hate Trump, she likes him – we both think he staged assassination attempts'

Why Do You Hate Me? USA: Introducing... Why Do You Hate Me? USA

Why Do You Hate Me?: 5. I Went Inside The World Of The Trolled And The Troll