33 h. ago Do you know about shitposting? It’s cheap humour, rage bait – and now, it seems, US government policy | Robert Topinka

Donald Trump’s White House reveals a new ‘portrait’ of Joe Biden – and in his world, if you don’t laugh, the joke’s on youOn 24 September, a White House communications adviser posted a video on X of a new presidential Walk of Fame, captioned: “Wait for it”, with a pen and eyes emoji. The video pans over a succession of presidential portraits to reveal – in place of Joe Biden’s portrait – a framed photograph of an autopen signing his name. The sight-gag references the Maga conspiracy theory that, unbeknownst to “Sleepy Joe”, unscrupulous aides used the autopen to sign pardons in his name. The post delighted supporters and outraged critics, which only further delighted supporters.And that was precisely the point. This combination of cheap humour and rage bait is the province of the shitpost, a genre of low-effort social media content designed to amuse insiders and annoy outsiders. Like so much of internet culture, shitposting was pioneered on the message board 4chan – but Donald Trump...

Events

3 d. ago Jon Stewart on US violence: ‘These mass shootings don’t fit neatly into our left

Late-night hosts discuss the partisan blame game after mass shootings and Trump’s AI-generated medical conspiracy theory videoLate-night hosts talk about the hyper-partisanship of reactions to mass shootings and Donald Trump sending troops to Portland. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago FACT FOCUS: Alleged FBI documents do not prove federal agents incited Jan. 6 Capitol attack

President Donald Trump buoyed the revival of a years-old conspiracy theory over the weekend, claiming that 50 pages of alleged FBI documents recently made public prove that 274 FBI agents at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were there to incite the attack

Events

4 d. ago Jay Slater's mum Debbie Duncan says 'it's been torture' as she hits out at 'social media detectives'

A documentary about the 19-year-old's disappearance will air on Channel 4 on Sunday

Events

5 d. ago The heartbreaking final conversation between Jay Slater and his mum Debbie Duncan

A new documentary exploring Jay's disappearance is now available to watch on Channel 4

Politics

5 d. ago Jay Slater's mum's brave response to toxicology report as she given grim details on camera

Channel 4's new documentary The Disappearance of Jay Slater will follow his family's heartbreaking journey as they search for answers about his tragic death in Tenerife

Events

5 d. ago Rudy Giuliani and Dominion settle $1.3bn defamation suit over election lies

US voting machine maker sued ex-New York mayor and Trump lawyer in 2021 for repeatedly calling election riggedRudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and personal lawyer to Donald Trump, has settled a long-running defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems over lies he told about the result of the 2020 presidential election.Details of the settlement, revealed in federal court in Washington DC in a filing late on Friday, are confidential. The Colorado-based voting machine manufacturer sued Giuliani for $1.3bn in 2021, citing more than 50 instances in which he made false or defamatory statements insisting the election was rigged against Trump, with the integrity of Dominion’s machinery at the heart of the conspiracy theory. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago How a baseless internet rumour has forced Brigitte Macron to prove she is a woman in a US court: Astonishing full story that led to French president's wife facing Candace Owens

The bizarre story of how an unsubstantiated internet conspiracy theory about 72-year-old Brigitte Macron secretly being a transgender woman has snowballed into a high-profile U.S. court case.

Politics

6 d. ago Wild royal conspiracy theory emerges over 'worrying' William and Charles rumours

Rumours have recently started swirling about the Royal Family, and they have reportedly brought a "flicker of suspicion in royal circles" that something of a plot is afoot

Politics

7 d. ago Jay Slater's mum left in tears as she admits 'believing' drug gang conspiracy theory

Debbie Duncan was left heartbroken by the wild dialogue that emerged online ever since her son's disappearance went viral online and she admits once believing one conspiracy theory

Events

7 d. ago Jay Slater's mum breaks down and admits being 'convinced' by chilling conspiracy theory

Jay Slater opened up about the impact conspiracy theories had on her both before and after her son's body was found and how she was once 'convinced' by one of them

Politics

7 d. ago Jay Slater's mum calls to ban 'cruel' armchair conspiracies as 'Jay's law' backed

Debbie Duncan hopes "Jay's Law" will stop armchair detectives from spreading misinformation online and she has the backing of Kerry Needham, who has been a victim of cruel social media posts

Society

8 d. ago Jay Slater mum tells of depraved act she was accused while son was missing

Distraught Debbie Duncan was accused of murdering her own son after his disappearance sparked wild online theories last summer and she says vile Tiktokers are still making videos about him now

Events

8 d. ago Ben Needham and Jay Slater's mums call to ban 'cruel' armchair detectives

Ahead of a Channel 4 documentary about Jay Slaters's death, his mum Debbie Duncan is calling for a new ‘Jay’s Law’ to stop online sleuthes from spreading misinformation online

Politics

8 d. ago ‘My wife is an exquisite goddess’: Nick Offerman on love, woodwork and storing gravy in his beard

The Parks and Recreation actor answers your questions on being married to Megan Mullally, visiting Manchester and preparing for the apocalypse What attracted you to the role of the radicalised father in new thriller Sovereign? SkillWizard The script is a work of art, about the “sovereign citizen movement”, which – like any other conspiracy theory – is based on the extreme edge of American thought. It made me think of the 6 January attack on the US Capitol; what drives normal working class Americans to make these life choices? I’m counting on the UK to celebrate this film, because I think it’s a little too smart for the American audience, frankly. A more European sensibility is going to respond more powerfully than an American one.Does the Highlander remake fill you with dread, indifference, or cautious optimism? ArcadianSean Highlander is one of my favourite films. It’s an incredible movie of sword-fighting with Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown as the Kurgan, the e...

Politics

8 d. ago Jay Slater's mum says 'it was insane' as she recalls online abuse during search for missing son

Jay Slater's mum Debbie Duncan says her family was bombarded with misinformation and online trolling

Events

8 d. ago Jay Slater's mum admits 'I had a breakdown' in emotional BBC Breakfast interview

Jay's mum also opened up about the personal items that were found on her son when his body was discovered

Politics

8 d. ago Jay Slater's mum says people 'don't want to believe the truth' as she reveals sick accusation

Jay Slater's mum appeared on BBC Breakfast

Politics

8 d. ago Jay Slater's mum fights tears on live TV after horrific accusation

Jay Slater's mum Debbie Duncan became emotional as she remembered her late son, who died after going missing on holiday in Ibiza, and detailed the horrific accusations she faced

Politics

1 week ago Jay Slater's mum Debbie found three things after opening bag he had when he died

Jay Slater's mother Debbie Duncan has detailed the heartbreaking moment she unpacked the bag her son was carrying when he was found dead in Tenerife last year

Events