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The riots and online misinformation

We look at the role of social media in the violent disorder which has broken out in parts of the UK, and how you can recognise what isn't true.

The violence which has broken out in parts of the UK has been having a clear impact on the people living in the towns and cities affected. But while that is unfolding on the streets, it is evident that the online world of social media has been playing a part in the disorder; first amplifying false claims about the killer of the three little girls in Southport, then being used to spread misinformation and to organise protests which have turned violent.

For this episode of our 5 Questions On podcast, Anna Jones has been asking the social editor of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News, Abigail Mobbs, how people are using social media during this time, and how you can spot the truth on your timeline.

Image credit: Getty/Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

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6 minutes