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The Shadowy Website Running Political Ads on Facebook Nov 30, 2018

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A shadowy website spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on political adverts on Facebook and other networks. But the people behind “Mainstream Network” have managed to remain entirely anonymous. No-one knows who runs the site and its social media accounts, where their money is coming from, or what their motivation is. We investigate their operation - just as Facebook faces tough questions about their role in preserving the integrity of elections around the world.

Presenter: Mike Wendling Reporter: Marco Silva

(Photo: A montage of Mainstream Network’s website and the site’s logo. Credit: Mainstream Network/BBC)

The Sextortion Scammers Nov 23, 2018

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We investigate the criminals who threaten to expose you on social media, using password hacking.

Imagine you open your email and there’s a message in there from someone that knows some of your personal information – like your laptop password. Not only that, but they’re threatening to reveal your darkest secrets on social media, unless you pay a ransom in anonymous cryptocurrency. That’s been happening to people all over the world - including our reporter Jo Whalley.

Jo finds out how cyber criminals have got hold of people’s personal information and about the huge sums of money people have been paying to the scammers.

Presenter: Mike Wendling Reporter: Jo Whalley Studio Manager: Neil Churchill

Photo Caption: Photo illustration of hackers Photo Credit: Getty Images

Killed Because of Fake News on WhatsApp Nov 16, 2018

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How a viral rumour on WhatsApp led to the lynching of two innocent men in Mexico.

Ricardo Flores and his uncle Alberto were building a well. They set out to buy some supplies, but as it was a warm August day, they decided to take a break along the way. Within hours they were arrested and lynched – beaten and burnt to death by a ferocious mob. Rumours which spread on WhatsApp falsely accused the men of being child kidnappers. And before anyone could stop the residents of Acatlan, a small town in Mexico, a tragedy unfolded – the repercussions of which continue to be felt today.

For the Beyond Fake News season on the BBC World Service, Marcos Martinez went to Acatlan to investigate.

Presenter: Mike Wendling Reporter: Marcos Martinez Producer: Reha Kansara Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot

Photo Caption: A photo of Ricardo Flores, one of the men who was killed. Photo Credit: BBC

The Truth Behind a So-Called 'Suicide Game’ Nov 09, 2018

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Hundreds of suicides were linked to the Blue Whale Challenge – but what is the truth behind the claims?

The challenge was described as an online game, where participants were given 50 tasks to perform over 50 days. A report in independent Russian news outlet Novaya Gazeta linked the game to 130 teenage suicides, and a 21-year-old man who was arrested in a case related to the challenge pleaded guilty and is currently in a Russian prison. But others are sceptical that the challenge can definitively be blamed for the tragedies. And in a twist, researchers say the game may not have even existed before the initial media reports.

Presenter: Mike Wendling Reporter: Ant Adeane

(Photo: A blue plastic toy whale. Credit: Getty Images)

When The Faker Met The Fact Checker Nov 02, 2018

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The conclusion of our story about two men on opposing sides in the war against misinformation. Fake news writer Christopher Blair finds that the money is drying up because of Facebook algorithm changes, and he’s constantly being hunted by fact-checkers. Meanwhile in Belgium, Maarten Schenk gets a handle on viral misinformation and online lies. It seems like they would be natural enemies. So what happens when they get the chance to speak to each other?

Presenter: Michael Wendling Reporter/Producer: Anisa Subedar

Photo Caption: Fake News v Facts on a computer keyboard Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Faker and the Fact Checker Oct 26, 2018

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Anisa Subedar meets two men positioned on opposing sides in the war against fake news. American Christopher Blair makes his living by making up online news stories, and Belgian Maarten Schenk is dedicated to debunking them. The two appear to be natural rivals, but is everything as it first seems?

Presenter: Michael Wendling Reporter: Anisa Subedar

(Photo: Fake News headline typed with a typewriter. Credit: Getty Images)

A ‘Manspreading’ Video And Russia’s Culture Wars Oct 19, 2018

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A protest against “manspreading” went viral in Russia – but is it Russian propaganda? Activist Anna Dovgalyuk denies that she staged a stunt where a woman was filmed throwing diluted bleach at the crotches of men whose legs were sprawled out over multiple seats on the St Petersburg Metro. But media reports suggested one of the men was an actor, and a European Union website has described the film as “staged Kremlin propaganda”. So, is it real or just a hoax? And how does it fit into a larger pattern of Russian social media bots and trolls stoking culture wars online?

Reporter: Marco Silva Producer: Anisa Subedar

(Photo: Screenshot from the ‘manspreading’ video that went viral in Russia. Credit: Anna Dovgalyuk)

The Men Who Hunt Stolen Motorbikes Oct 12, 2018

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In Bristol, in the south-west of England, motorbike theft is rife, and criminals use social media to brag about their exploits and even extort money from their victims. But some bikers, sick of losing their treasured possessions, have started to take matters into their own hands. They’ve formed a Facebook group to try to hunt down stolen motorbikes. And using the tips from group members, they try to hunt down the stolen motorbikes and reunite them with their owners. But will their plan work?

Presenters: Jonathan Griffin, Natalia Zuo Producer: Anisa Subedar Studio Manager: James Beard

Photo Caption: Volunteer motorbike hunters Martin Bailey and Domonik Wojcik of Stolen Motorcycle Recovery Bristol prepare to track down stolen goods Photo Credit: BBC

The People Who Remove Your Facebook Posts Oct 05, 2018

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They decide what you can and can’t see on the world’s biggest social network. Who are Facebook’s content moderators? We speak to a woman who worked in a moderation centre in Germany, often watching violent and pornographic videos and deciding what posts should be deleted. What do people who police content think of what support Facebook gives employees, and what are their daily working lives actually like?

Presenter: Anisa Subedar Reporter: Jamie Bartlett Producer: Gemma Newby Studio Manager: Tom Brignell

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Truth Behind a Viral Murder Video Sep 28, 2018

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The BBC investigative team Africa Eye used open-source techniques to find out who was responsible for a shocking crime. In July 2018, a horrifying video began to circulate on social media. It shows two women and two young children being led away at gunpoint by a group of soldiers. The captives are blindfolded, forced to the ground and shot 22 times.

The government of Cameroon initially dismissed the video as “fake news.” But through open-source investigation – examining details such as buildings, shadows, and uniforms – BBC Africa Eye has been able to find out where the video was filmed, when it was filmed, and who was responsible. Their findings place the blame squarely on Cameroonian forces.

Presenter: Anisa Subedar Producer: Reha Kansara

(Photo: A still from the video showing the murder of women and children by Cameroonian soldiers)