Tricky

Tricky is the place to discuss difficult questions away from the bear pit of social media. Writer and podcaster Russell Miller, actress Amy Leith, political commentator Dominique Samuels and gaming journalist Jordan Middler discuss the boom in conspiracy theories. Everyday seems to bring a new one whether it’s about COVID, 'the deep state' in the US or what people in power are really up to. Our panel all have conspiracy theories that they believe to be true but at what point does not accepting what you're told at face value become harmful and counterproductive? The internet should give us access to all the information we need to judge what's going on but yet it seems to only make things worse. Is the truth really out there? Producers: Myles Bonnar and Peter McManus Editor: Anthony Browne A BBC Scotland production for Radio 4

Four people. One topic. No filter. Writer & journalist Charlie Peters, politics student Emily Hewertson, poet Iona Lee and creative director David Chukwujekwu discuss at what age you should be able to vote. The age when you can start voting varies across the UK. In England and Northern Ireland you can’t vote in any elections until you’re 18. But in Scotland and Wales you can vote in local and devolved parliamentary elections at 16. So should the voting age be lowered for all elections or as some people believe should it actually be raised? Producers: Myles Bonnar and Peter McManus Editor: Anthony Browne A BBC Scotland production for Radio 4

Tricky is the place to discuss difficult questions away from the bear pit of social media. Gray Crosbie (they/them), Lawrence Chaney (she/her), Katy Montgomerie (she/her) and Victor Lockhart (he/him) discuss the importance of pronouns. Our panel represent a diverse range of gender identities, including trans men and women and non- binary. For all them being addressed with the correct pronoun, be it he, she or they is a basic demonstration of respect and acceptance. So how do they handle it when people get it wrong; is it worse when someone deliberately misgenders them as an attack, or when it happens accidentally in day to day life? Producers: Myles Bonnar and Peter McManus Editor: Anthony Browne A BBC Scotland production for Radio 4

Tricky is the place to discuss difficult questions away from the bear pit of social media. Drag artist Vanity Von Glow, poet Iona Lee, relationship & sex educator, Esther De La Ford and actor Karen Bartke discuss the 'Karen' meme. Karen is a slang term for an obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist middle-aged white woman, who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people's behaviours. It’s similar to the male term 'Gammon' in that they both refer to furious opinionated white people. ‘Karen’ began as shorthand in the US's black community but was popularised right across all sorts of service industries. For the Karen on our panel it puts her off complaining about anything, in case she's accused of ‘being such a Karen' especially because that's her name! But is it now being used simply as a means to shut women down when they express an opinion that usually a man doesn't like? Who is the arbiter of when the meme is being correctly used or is that simply the nature of these things that once they're out they take on a life of their own? Producers: Myles Bonnar and Peter McManus Editor: Anthony Browne A BBC Scotland production for Radio 4

Tricky is the place to discuss difficult questions away from the bear pit of social media. Writer and performer Vanessa Kissule, drag artist Vanity Von Glow, online sex educator Reed Amber and dominatrix Megara Furie look at the rise of cancel culture and ask has it gone too far? Should people be cast out because they express opinions we find repugnant? What if that's simply a product of ignorance? Cancelling someone means denying them the opportunity to learn and grow. Who hasn’t said something they've regretted, especially on social media - should they be forever condemned for it? Especially when cancelling can be more than calling someone outand might affect your livelihood as Vanity has experienced. What, if any conversations shouldn’t be had and isn’t it just as important what can be heard as well as what can be said in our digital public spaces? These are the tricky questions we should think about next time our finger hovers over retweet. Producers: Myles Bonnar and Peter McManus Editor: Anthony Browne A BBC Scotland production for Radio 4