Among the Trolls: My Journey Through Conspiracyland

(Paperback, Export/Airside)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

'Essential' Eliot Higgins
'Admirable' Ian Hislop

MY NAME IS MARIANNA SPRING AND SOME OF MY TROLLS SAY THEY WANT TO KILL ME

Threats and abuse litter my social media feeds. They infect my everyday life. Sometimes the people behind the messages try to find me in person. This seems to be the price of venturing into the world of conspiracy theories, hate and algorithms. And it turns out, I am far from alone.

In 2020, I became the BBC's first disinformation and social media correspondent, and since then I have been trying to understand conspiracyland. Where does the vitriol come from What drives otherwise reasonable people to believe that almost everything - from the worst attacks and wars to global health crises and climate change - is a hoax designed to kill or control millions of us

I decided to track down both the trolls and their victims, the people who spread the most harmful mistruths as well as those they hurt. I wanted to find out who was caught up in all of this - and why some of them are so full of hate.

In Among the Trolls I tell the first-hand stories of the trolls and the trolled, those behind the information battle that threatens not just the way society works, but also some of the qualities we value most about being human: respect, fairness, tolerance, integrity and kindness.

Reviews

This book is full of unbelievable nonsense. I am very grateful to Marianna Spring for her admirable attempts to defend us against it * Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye *
A tour de force... Something has gone very badly wrong with social media - Marianna Spring wades into the cesspit on our behalf * Jeremy Vine *
Brave and brilliant... Marianna Spring lowers a bucket into the well of online misinformation and bile, and pulls up clarity and understanding * Fiona Bruce *
Marianna Spring is one of the most talented journalists of her generation. Her journey through Conspiracyland shows in chilling detail why we should all be deeply concerned about trolls and conspiracy theorists... essential reading * Jeremy Bowen *
An essential exploration into the heart of conspiracyland, Marianna Spring's journey sheds light on the shadowy world of disinformation and the powerful role of social media in shaping our beliefs. With gripping narratives and heart-wrenching personal stories, this book is a crucial read for understanding the intricate web of misinformation that influences our modern world. * Eliot Higgins, author of the Sunday Times bestseller We Are Bellingcat *
A powerful, brave voice in the noisy age of disinformation and online abuse. I've admired Marianne's courageous journalism for a while. This book continues and builds on that excellent work. * Anita Anand *
Marianna has brought to light astonishing narratives... She reminds us how seriously we must now take fake news and the spread of false lies, and the very real havoc it can wreak * Emily Maitlis *

Author Bio

Marianna Spring is the BBC's first disinformation and social media correspondent and an award-winning journalist. She presents podcasts and documentaries investigating disinformation and social media for BBC Radio 4 podcasts, as well as for BBC Panorama and BBC Three. She is also one of the presenters of the BBC's Americast podcast. In 2022, she was named the British Press Guild's Audio Presenter of the year and Royal Television Society Innovation winner.