AntiSocial

Peace talks for the culture wars. In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, AntiSocial offers an alternative: understanding, facts, and respect. Each week, Adam Fleming takes on a topic that's generating conflict on social media, blogs, talk shows and phone-ins and helps you work out what the arguments are really about.

Last refreshed: May 12th, 2026 at 5:29 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

15-minute Cities and Freedom

How talk of low traffic neighbourhoods and traffic filters became a heated debate about freedom. When Oxfordshire county council announced plans to implement six traffic filters across the city, it caused such controversy that even people in America were posting on social media about the restrictions they might impose. The council said they received death threats due to the misinformation swirling online, often from people outside of Oxford. So why have the discussions online become so heated?...

Feb 17, 2023•54 min

Delilah and cancelling songs

A row over whether it's appropriate for the Tom Jones classic song Delilah to be sung at Welsh Rugby matches because it depicts violence against women. Some claim that domestic violence spikes around rugby matches, making the song even more inappropriate. Others point to the long British and American tradition of songs about murder and question whether a song can provoke domestic abuse. Should we impose modern values on culture from the past? Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Lucy Proctor, Phoe...

Feb 10, 2023•54 min

Trans women and prisons

The Scottish Prison Service is under fire for sending a trans woman who raped two women to a female prison. That has brought the ongoing battle about whether trans women should be in women's prisons to the top of the social media agenda. Some argue that men's prisons are not safe for trans women. But others say that biological males should never be in women's prisons. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Lucy Proctor, Phoebe Keane and Ellie House Editor: Emma Rippon

Feb 03, 2023•54 min

Neurodiversity and autism

What is neurodiversity and how has it changed the way we talk about autism? Is it always helpful for people who are autistic and their families? As video app Tik Tok became more and more popular, so too did the use of #Neurodivergent. Videos using this hashtag have racked up 6.6 billion views. Many people who are autistic use this hashtag when posting positive experiences, to help improve understanding amongst their followers. But some say that social media is fuelling an epidemic of people self...

Jan 27, 2023•54 min

Brit Awards and gender

The Brit Awards were gender neutral for the second time this year - which meant there was no best male or best female artist award. Over the last week the reaction to the all-male nomination list for Best Artist has been fierce, with many women outraged at the lack of female representation. Is the music industry ready for gender neutrality? Does inclusivity come at the expense of women? Presenter: Victoria Derbyshire Producers: Lucy Proctor, Phoebe Keane and Ellie House Editor: Emma Rippon...

Jan 20, 2023•54 min

Harry and Meghan

The revelations in Prince Harry's book Spare have dominated the news and the nation's conversations, with many people taking sides. For some, Harry and Meghan represent a couple who speak their truth and challenge racism, sexism and attitudes towards mental health. For others, they have betrayed their family and are emblematic of a privileged, navel-gazing world view. Why have the Duke and Duchess of Sussex become such symbols? Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Lucy Proctor, Phoebe Keane and El...

Jan 13, 2023•54 min

Milk and protestors

Direct action against dairies, animal cruelty, and the climate crisis. Animal Rebellion protestors have blockaded dairies, making the case for a “plant-based future”. They say the dairy industry is a key contributor to the climate crisis and is based on cruelty and exploitation. Online, opponents say they want to choose what they eat and that the direct action is counter-productive. Are the claims made by protesters true? And why is milk such a touchy subject in this country? Presenter: Adam Fle...

Sep 23, 2022•54 min

'Woke' police

Accusations that the police are spending time dancing the Macarena at Pride parades instead of controlling crime stepped up this week following a report by a think tank. Critics say the police are being political by taking the knee at Black Lives Matter marches and prioritising policing Twitter over policing the streets. Others say community engagement is key and that it’s all about resources. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon Maybin & Lucy Proctor Researchers: Ellie House & Octav...

Sep 02, 2022•54 min

Trigger warnings

'Upsetting content' warnings at universities: a harmless courtesy or oversensitivity? Some higher education institutions are accused of 'wokery' and pandering to 'snowflake' students because texts now sometimes come with notes saying some students may find the content distressing. People in favour of such warnings see them as an unintrusive way of respecting students’ mental well-being. But what does 'triggering' actually mean? What do students think about trigger warnings? How did they end up o...

Aug 26, 2022•54 min

Fast fashion and class

The argument about whether shopping "sustainably" is a privilege not everyone can afford. People online are debating whether contestants from ITV’s Love Island should be signing mega-bucks deals with clothes companies that sell people stuff cheaply and often - so-called fast fashion. Others claim it's a bit rich for the well-off to lecture everyone else about what's in their wardrobe? We’ll look at how fast fashion got turbo-charged, see if the stats on climate change and fashion add up, explore...

Aug 19, 2022•54 min

Online justice and rape

Rape allegations about a footballer have led to debate online and protests in real life. A woman who says she was raped by a Premier League footballer put her allegations and evidence for them online. On social media some people have tried to pick holes in her account and demanded anonymity for people accused of rape. Others are outraged that the player hasn’t been suspended by his club. In real life, an aeroplane banner protest said “Kick rapists off the pitch”. What’s the law on identifying ra...

Aug 12, 2022•54 min

Drag queens and libraries

The row over drag queens reading stories to children. A spate of protests outside libraries has focused attention on the idea of drag queen story hours - drag queens reading stories to young children in libraries and other public spaces. For some, it’s the perfect way to build acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities, plus it’s fun and fabulous for the children. For others, it risks exposing young minds to adult entertainment and complex themes of sex and gender. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon ...

Aug 05, 2022•54 min

Race and representation

The England women’s football team has been on our screens a lot, but the team has attracted criticism for only fielding white players in the quarter finals. That sparked a discussion around what the right levels of representation should be on screen and in public life. Is it true that you can’t be what you can’t see? Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon Maybin & Lucy Proctor Researchers: Ellie House and Octavia Woodward Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Manager: Chris Murphy Mu...

Jul 29, 2022•55 min

Gaslighting and relationships

Love Island has sparked debate about gaslighting and narcissism. The reality TV show Love Island has once again ignited discussion about the way men treat women in relationships. Two domestic violence charities called out what they called gaslighting and coercive control. Meanwhile on social media a wider conflict about these new terms has rumbled on. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Josephine Casserly & Lucy Proctor Researcher: Ellie House Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Manag...

Jul 22, 2022•54 min

Free speech and online harm

Hopefuls for the Conservative Party leadership have been talking about the Online Safety Bill. One candidate said the planned attempt to make tech companies do something about content that is legal but harmful amounts to ‘legislating for hurt feelings’. And social media had a lot to say. A comedian and an academic discuss. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Chloe Hadjimatheou & Lucy Proctor Researchers: Ellie House & Octavia Woodward Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Studio Manager: C...

Jul 15, 2022•54 min

Cars and the climate

The battle between gas-guzzlers and environmentalists. Motorists have been staging go-slow protests on motorways over how expensive it is to get everywhere. Meanwhile, environmental protestors have been letting down the tyres of the biggest gas-guzzlers to stop them going anywhere. They want people to give up their cars, but drivers don’t like being told what to do. It’s getting people angry on social media. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon Maybin & Lucy Proctor Researchers: Ellie Ho...

Jul 08, 2022•54 min

White privilege and schools

This week, parents are voicing concerns about the way the concept of white privilege is being taught in schools. How did the conversation about white privilege go mainstream in the UK? Where did it come from? The BBC's Home Editor Mark Easton shares some data on the experiences of different ethnic groups in Britain. And a teacher grapples with whether you can tell poor pupils that they're actually privileged. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Lucy Proctor & Simon Maybin Researcher: Ellie Ho...

Jul 01, 2022•54 min

Trans rights and free speech

Why is the conversation about trans rights and women's rights so toxic? This week, two sports governing bodies decided that trans women should not compete in women's categories. Other sports announced they would review their policies. There's a row about that, but beneath that is a deeper argument about how the tensions around gender identity are discussed and debated. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Lucy Proctor & Simon Maybin Researcher: Ellie House Music: Oskar Jones Editor: Emma Rippo...

Jun 24, 2022•54 min

Introducing AntiSocial

Where there are angry-face emojis, AntiSocial brings understanding. Context, facts, views that will make you think - and NO SHOUTING.

Jun 17, 2022•2 min

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