13 h. ago Ministers accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over UK’s soft power around the world

Government’s own advisers warn of funding crisis for BBC World Service, British Council and universitiesAs US retreats, is there a ‘soft power’ opportunity for UK?Ministers have been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” over threats to the UK’s soft power around the world, as some of their own advisers warned a funding crisis is undermining key institutions promoting British influence.Members of the government’s new soft power council, set up by ministers earlier this year, warned the BBC World Service, the British Council and universities – regarded as the bodies at the forefront of the UK’s soft power efforts – all face major financial pressures. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago The TikTok influencers promoting fare dodging on the Tube: Viewers shown 'hacks' to get through barriers without paying after damning report reveals the criminality has become 'normalised'

Young men are filming themselves laughing and joking with each other as they push through the wide-aisle gates at Tube stations in London in videos liked by hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Technology

39 h. ago Regulators tackle influencers promoting ‘rouge’ financial products as legal action begins

Three arrests have already been made in the UK

Politics

39 h. ago Regulators tackle influencers promoting ‘rogue’ financial products as legal action begins

Three arrests have already been made in the UK

Politics

47 h. ago Crackdown on social media influencers promoting finance advice after Love Island stars charged

Social media tips on money are common - but there is a limit to what advice can be handed out without professional licences

Politics

47 h. ago Crackdown launched on ‘rogue financial promotions’ by some influencers

Many finfluencers act legitimately but others tout products or services illegally and without authorisation, the Financial Conduct Authority said.

Politics

2 w. ago Spain ditches influencers after disastrous bid to get social media 'celebrities' to promote destinations saw quiet spots swarmed by thousands, prompting protests by locals

The move comes a year after jeering Mallorcan protestors descended on an Instagram-famous beach and blocked visitors from entering in a bid to combat mass tourism.

Events

2 w. ago Balearics hit back at ‘selfie tourism’ as sites become overwhelmed

Tourist authority backtracks on use of influencers after one tiny cove is swamped by 4,000 visitors a dayThe authorities in Spain’s Balearic Islands have said they will stop using social media influencers to promote popular destinations, saying “selfie tourism” is damaging some of its most beautiful locations.In an attempt to quell the effects of overtourism, the Balearics had hoped that influencers, many of whom have hundreds of thousands of followers, might relieve the strain on some better-known sites by directing visitors elsewhere. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Logan Paul's furious response to Liver King's steroid scandal exposed in Netflix documentary

A new Netflix documentary has explored the rise and fall of Liver King, the fitness influencer who built a huge following by promoting an extreme ancestral lifestyle online

Politics

4 w. ago The Liver King – this hilarious exposé is like Tiger King but with way more genital eating

The sly wit of this documentary shines through as it follows a toxically masculine fitness influencer who consumes so many raw animal organs you can almost taste the salmonella. It is frequently hilariousFor many young men, masculinity is sold as an obsession with protein, and a personality that answers the question “What if WWE was real, and all the time?” Which brings us to Netflix’s explosive new documentary. Untold: The Liver King (out Tuesday 13 May), real name Brian Johnson, is a fitness influencer who promotes “ancestral living” as the solution to enervating modernity. This includes a great deal of hollering and extreme workouts, saying the word “alpha” a lot, plus eating a carnivorous diet of raw animal organs, including an unfeasible amount of genitals.Liver King angry that people addicted to phones. Works with marketing agency to pump out stunt videos specifically designed for them. Opening shot shows Liver King pulling truck on chain. Famous caveman activity. Meanwhile, o...

Politics