Latest Stories
-
It must be true – I saw it on the internet
Can we defeat the misinformation virus? Efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic are being undermined by fake news and scams – and it is not the first crisis to be aggravated in this way.
-
Do not lose hope: we can defeat the virus
Should the media publish more good news? The Covid-19 outbreak is frightening and deserves our attention. But amidst all the doom and gloom, there are hundreds of encouraging developments.
-
TikTok’s ‘sight bites’ capture the zeitgeist
Should we take TikTok politics seriously? One of the most successful apps in the world was developed for teenagers messing around. Now, it is being adopted by political campaigners.
-
After 24 years…Spitting Image set to return
Is satire simply cruel? There is a long tradition of ridiculing the famous and powerful. But in an age of increased sensitivity, the return of TV’s Spitting Image might not be that welcome.
-
Darth Vader needs therapy, psychiatrists say
Does Darth Vader have borderline personality disorder? An academic paper by psychiatric researchers argues that he shows clear symptoms. And that we could all learn a lot by studying them.
-
No, a street lamp won’t give you the virus
Should conspiracy theories be banned? As the world continues to grapple with the threat of a coronavirus pandemic, troubling fake news about Covid-19 is spreading across the internet.
-
Row explodes over Amazon Nazi-hunter show
Is it wrong to tell fictional stories about the Holocaust? A new TV show about vigilante justice has been accused of sensationalising the genocide of millions for entertainment purposes.
-
‘My whole world was swept from under my feet’
Should there be a “Caroline’s law”? After the reality TV presenter tragically took her own life, friends and politicians are calling on new media regulation to prevent merciless bullying.
-
UK to make web titans liable for online harms
Could it undermine free speech? Facebook and Google bosses will face prosecution if they breach their “duty of care”. But some fear the same laws might be twisted to block truth-telling.
-
‘Posturing, self-indulgence and surreality’
Have the Oscars become unbearable? Last night, millions of people worldwide watched Hollywood’s biggest spectacle – but critics argue it is a self-congratulating waste of time and money.
-
At the Baftas, white actors are the winners
Is the film industry too interested in stories about white people? Despite years of debate about representation, there was a remarkable lack of diversity at last night’s Bafta film awards.
-
Studio Ghibli goes for global dominance
Are the best animated films made in Japan? With the first Studio Ghibli films moving to Netflix tomorrow, we examine why anime has become so popular and if it can ever surpass Disney.
-
BBC in its current form ‘facing the end’
Should the BBC be another Netflix? Nicky Morgan, the UK culture secretary, wants a move to a subscription system, ending almost a century of public broadcasting funded by a licence fee.
-
Comedy about Hitler leaves critics fuming
Is it morally wrong to make a comic film about the Nazis? Critics are passionately divided about Jojo Rabbit, the story of a ten-year-old boy and his imaginary friend – a goofy Adolf Hitler.
-
Climate sceptic Murdoch confronted by son
Should Rupert Murdoch step down? The legendary newspaper owner is under attack by his son for allowing climate change sceptics to distort coverage of the deadly Australian bushfires.